Michigan Commercial Category 7D - Vertebrate Pest Management Bundle
This course bundle will fulfill the category recertification requirement for Michigan Commercial Applicators holding a Vertebrate Pest Management (Category 7D) certification. This course bundle must be paired with the Michigan Commercial Core 8 Credit Bundle to complete recertification requirements as this course bundle does NOT contain any commercial core training. Topics include tips for vertebrate pest control and identification, cage trapping techniques and tips, and a basic review of field fumigation techniques.
BUNDLE CONTENTS:
- Understanding Rodenticides and Their Labels – 1 credit
- Mice: The Ubiquitous Commensal Rodent – 1 credit
- Bat Damage Management – 1 credit
- Mole Management – 1 credit
- Skunks: $mell the $uccess – 1 credit
- Control and Management of Unprotected Birds – 1 credit
- Voles: Biology, Damage, and Control – 1 credit
- Euthanasia and Carcass Disposal: Methods and Pitfalls – 1 credit
Understanding Rodenticides & Their Labels
Course Description
Rodenticides are becoming a widely discussed and concerning topic in the pest control field. There is a growing public concern at the risk of secondary and non-target poisonings when rodenticides are used. As a pest control operator is it your responsibility to understand how rodenticides work and how to read their labels. This course discusses the common types of rodenticides, their appropriate application, the risks involved with the use of each type of rodenticide, and takes a look at specific label language.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Outline and describe the primary classifications of rodenticides
- Describe the differences in toxicity and risk between first-generation and second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides
- Describe how to use appropriate baiting techniques and the importance of carcass removal
Mice: The Ubiquitous Commensal Rodent
Course Description
One of the challenges with house mice is that clients don’t take house mice seriously. It’s amazing how people will move heaven and earth when rats are around, but when it comes to mice they will simply say “oh, it’s just a mouse!” This course will help educate applicators on the risks of allowing house mice to remain in a structure.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Identify preferred habitats of mice
- Describe several IPM methods for controlling mice
- Describe the differences in mouse traps and outline which trap is best in a given situation
- Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of using rodenticides
Bat Damage Management
Course Description
The site of a bat hanging around a structure can be unnerving to most clients. Finding one inside a home is even more unsettling and can send the homeowner into a panic. This course will talk about the identification of bat issues, fundamentals of bat control, and a few health issues that can be quite costly for wildlife control operators and clients.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Effectively pre-qualify a client to determine the potential presence of bats.
- Outline to the client the necessity to capture the bat alive.
- Describe the common signs found when bats are present.
- Describe the common diseases and ectoparasites associated with bats.
Mole Management
Course Description
Moles can be the bane of a well-kept lawn. But is it really a mole? Mole, vole, shrew, and pocket gopher damage can look the same to the untrained eye. This course covers the physiological differences between moles and other look-alike vertebrate pests, trapping techniques, and toxicant options.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Correctly identify mole damage.
- Distinguish the differences between moles, voles, shrews, and pocket gophers.
- Describe the different traps and toxicants available and when best to use each one.
Skunks: $mell the $uccess
Course Description
Skunks used to be considered a very valuable animal, probably because they weren’t called skunks. They were called “Alaska Sable” or “Black Marten.” But when the Supreme Court insisted there be truth in advertising the demand for Alaska Sable plummeted. The desire to have a skunk residing on a client’s property doesn’t seem to have improved either. This course will discuss the lifecycle and biology of skunks, habitat modification to discourage skunks from taking up residence, trapping tips and techniques, the basics of rodenticide use, and the basics of euthanizing if allowable by law. It is important to be familiar with state and local laws regarding skunk management.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Describe common skunk behavior, habitat, and diet.
- Discuss the different methods and sets for efficient trapping of skunks.
- Describe the various methods of euthanizing.
Control & Management of Unprotected Birds
Course Description
Unwanted birds can pose a problem for applicators and their clients. Some people love to feed the birds and spend hours watching birds. Once birds have become established in an area they can be difficult to control or deter. Though this course will focus on the control and management of unprotected birds, some of the techniques covered will help with the management of protected birds when a permit is issued.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Identify birds not protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918
- Discuss different forms of deterrents available and when best to use each method
- Discuss the different forms of toxicants and when they would be appropriate
Voles: Biology, Damage, and Control
Course Description
Voles are known by a variety of names, meadow mice or field mice for example. Voles are rodents, meaning they like to chew on things, but they rarely enter structures and are primarily a pest in landscape settings. But they are often confused with mice by many homeowners. The damage caused by voles is to the grass and other plants in the landscape and garden and is most noticeable after the snow melts in northern climates. This course will cover the basics of vole identification, biology, and damage as well as several control methods including trapping and rodenticide use.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Correctly distinguish between a vole, a shrew, and a mouse.
- Identify vole damage in grass, garden, and landscape areas.
- Outline the different types of rodenticides labeled for controlling voles.
- Discuss the different types of traps and how to set them.
Euthanasia & Carcass Disposal: Methods & Pitfalls
Course Description
This topic, while not often talked about, is something that everyone in wildlife control has to deal with. It is one of those unmentionables, but we need to talk about it in detail because it’s something you’re going to need to encounter if you’re going to be a full-fledged wildlife control operator. This course will cover methods for euthanizing animals, ways to dispose of the deceased animal, and pitfalls to avoid to maintain public relations and appearance.
After completing this course participants will be able to:
- Define humane dispatch.
- Discuss options available for euthanizing an animal.
- Describe the various types of lethal sets available and when best to use each one.