Insect Control Devices For Use In Restaurants

Which insect control devices will suit your restaurant and what factors should you consider?

Attracting customers and turning them into repeat customers is the goal. Putting together a memorable dining experience. Fabulous fit outs, fresh local produce, creative menus and smiling staff.

Enter the customer, eager to share all on review sites like Trip Advisor and Zomato. While enthusiastic reviews are always pleasure, it is often an oversight, a gripe or a fly that becomes the focal point of the post.

While it is impossible to control every aspect of the customer experience, I aim to ensure that it is not the great Australian a blow fly that brings you undone.

Specialising in providing piece of mind, I will help you defend your good reputation and all the hard work that goes in every day, behind the scenes, in every restaurant.

This article will help you make sense of the restaurant insect control options available to keep the flies away from your customers and out of your kitchen.

Whether you want to prevent a fly problem or looking to solve one, l can help. Lets look at your restaurant insect control options.

Restaurant Pest Control Checklist

The basic principles of pest prevention and hygiene are always relevant. I am betting there are many things you already do to make your premises and procedures less attractive to pests.

Start with your restaurant and your staff.

• As good hygiene and procedure are vital for control of all pests, ensure a staff member runs through this restaurant pest control checklist.
  It will identify potential problem areas inside and around the perimeter of your restaurant. It will highlight areas to keep an eye on and possibly give you a few things you can tweak to discourage pests.
• Get all your employees on board. Next team meeting have a refresher on ways to keep your front and back of house spaces and procedures as fly proof and unattractive to pests as possible. The restaurant insect control checklist will assist you, giving you key points to discuss.

Restaurant pest control is a team sport.
Get your staff onboard.

Moisture and food, garbage and garden beds all provide places for flies to feed and lay eggs. Flies will tend to linger where their basic needs are met. Few will stay in dry, clean areas. A continuous sanitation effort is needed to ensure flies do not hang around.

It is essential that action is taken to prevent pests entering your space and conditions within the premises discourage them from staying. Before selecting insect control contraptions, you need to consider your environment.

What’s right for you? Consider your restaurant environment.

How many doors and windows?

Australians love bringing the outdoors inside. Open doors and windows are loved by both the diner and the insect. The number of open doors and windows effect the way you tackle flying pests. The less points of entry, the easier to create insect proof barriers. Standard single doors are going to be easier to fly proof than bi fold doors on three sides of your building.

Is there a breeze?

Breeze plays a role in deciding on the best solution for tackling flying pests. Premises with a strong, regular breeze or a tunnel breeze travelling through the building, require extra attention. When thinking about your space, note the stiller, quieter air spaces. Which direction does the breeze come from and which way does the air flow through your restaurant? Is the back door usually open?

Equipment with air intakes will affect air flow.  You do not want to be setting up spray products beside air conditioners, air curtains or rangehoods.

Light and bright

Flies are naturally attracted to sunlight. You will often find them dead in large glass front windows. They were trying to get outside, attracted to the natural light. The amount of interior light is going to impact your fly control choice. Bright spaces with the sunshine beaming in make it difficult for fly traps that rely on an artificial light source. Consider your space during the sunniest part of the day. If the area is bright, steer away from traps using light as an attractant.

Power points

Solutions that involve a light source or a temperature-controlled attractant are going to require power. Install gizmos requiring an electrical source near power points, unless you are prepared to engage an electrical contractor or are able to run extension cords. Consider this extra expense when doing your costings.

Replacements, refills and dusting

Glue boards gather dust. Dusty glue does not trap insects. Glue boards need regular replacement. Light attractants will require dusting, so the light source is not diluted. Whatever option you select, maintenance is key. When trapping, catching or zapping insects, once dead, they must be removed frequently to prevent accumulation. Dead insects attract more insects.
On the upside, glue board traps allow you to inspect the type of insect caught and monitor numbers of caught insects. This could possibly give you the heads up of early infestation. As a chef of 15 years, l know there is precious little time to be monitoring insects. You just need them gone. Food safe insect spray is effective at repelling all flying insects, no cleaning dead insects or monitoring. Just turn them around mid-air and send them on their way. Spray’s require refilling every 6 weeks.

Odour control

Flies are attracted to odours. The average fly will travel 4 kms in 4 days. To stop attracting flies from all around the neighbourhood, you need to keep the smells to a minimum.

• Keep your rangehood’s grease filters clean and well maintained
• Keep your dumpsters in the shade if possible
• Keeps bin lids closed/do not over fill
• Insist your restaurant has a sealed bag policy for all kitchen waste
• Air curtains help keep air conditioning and cooking smells inside, helping deter flying pests
• More about that in the restaurant pest control checklist 

How Far Can House Flies Fly? Read the research from Kentucky University.  4km’s in four days. The fittest flies covered 20kms in four days!

Room Size

What size room are you trying to pest proof? Regardless of the control option, the larger the space, the more units required.
There are several things to consider when tackling spaces.

Is it easier to:

• Cover problem areas within the room?
• Cover the entries and exits and windows in the room?
• Cover the whole space in the room?

When it comes to fly control – the stiller the air space, the less units required and the better the coverage.

Suitable attachment points

When covering spaces, seating areas and food prep areas, there needs to be suitable attachment points within the vicinity.

Flying insects can only see an insect light trap that is in “line-of-sight”. If there are multiple areas you are trying to protect, position your traps so that at least one can be seen from each area.

Surrounding areas

Water

Ornamental ponds should not be considered. Still water may gives rise to insects that rely on water to breed. A readily available source of water is a requirement for successful rat populations. Birds may be attracted to the site and may roost or nest on the building. This leads to problems with fouling and eventually problems with insects as the two are often linked.
Certain flying insects require stagnating water to breed in. Guttering should have sufficient fall to allow good rainwater run off.

Leaf Litter

Insects and rodents may take advantage of leaf litter accumulation. These areas should feature on cleaning schedules, especially during autumn when leaf fall is high.

Bin Areas

Site bin areas 10 metres from  buildings to keep pests at a distance. Water run off after cleaning is important as pooling water from overflow will encourage various pests, particularly flies. Waste drainage channels should be fitted with grids that allow waste to pass through and not clog. Use grids that can be removed easily for cleaning. Provide shade to waste areas to reduce odours.

Building Colour Schemes

Building colours can be attractive to insects depending on where they fall in the colour spectrum. Avoid white or light-yellow surfaces due to their ability to reflect UV light. This should be considered when deciding the overall building colour scheme and can also be relevant to smaller scale studies, such as the colour of surfaces around entryways. Darker blue or green colours are preferable.

What are your problem pests?

The presence of pests in any food handling premises is unacceptable.

They pose risks including:

• The spread of disease via pathogens transferred from the gut and external surface of the pest
• Damage to product or packaging
• Contamination of work surfaces and foodstuffs
• Adverse public opinion and loss of reputation

What to do?
Prevent the introduction of pests onto the site and reduce the conditions that encourage their presence. I emphasise prevention through good hygiene, stock management and exclusion practices.

Restaurant pests can include:

• Flies
• Fermentation flies
• Stored goods pests
• Cockroaches
• Ants and rodents

Where do pests hide?

Pests are most active at night and hide in dark places, including:

• Under and behind electrical, heating and cooking appliances
• Under washing and hand washing facilities
• Under and in boxes, packaging and food storage containers
• Inside wall cavities
• In cracks and crevices
• Behind equipment
• In disused or ‘mothballed’ equipment.

Indicators of a problem include signs of pests such as droppings, gnaw marks on packaging or food stuffs and dead insects. Keep your eye out for situation that may increase the likelihood of pest infestations.

How are the pests gaining access?

The ideal solution is to prevent the pest entering in the first place. Fix screens, seal up gaps along floors, ceilings and walls. Ensure doors and windows are suitably fitted and screened where possible. Add a door seal piece along the bottom of doors, especially the door leading to the loading dock /bin area. Remove likely habitats surrounding your building. Inspect deliveries. If possible, do not bring cardboard into the kitchen. It can harbour insect eggs.

Specific pests

Flies

The Fly Eater Plus Trap

The Fly Eater Plus Fly Trap Available on the products page. $9.99  Add sachet of non toxic attractant and water.  Hang trap in a sunny spot to attract flies.  Do not place close to back door or you will be attracting flies in.  Very smelly once they begin to fill.  Suitable locations include your outdoor rubbish bin enclosure, a perimeter fence, hanging out of a tree in the car park etc.

Restaurant Fly Control Spray (HACCP Approved)

If you have a bright, low breeze restaurant, food safe fly control spray is a very effective and cost-efficient option. The hardware is straight forward making it easy to manage. It will require 3 minutes per system, every 6 weeks. So whilst being time efficient you are also avoiding the call out costs charged by pest control companies. Food safe fly control is ideal for indoor areas in both low or high light areas. This type of fly control works by creating a fly free zone. Insects entering the air space must leave as they are unable to break down the active ingredient. This means there are no insect glue boards to replace or dead insect catchment trays to clean. The insect spray is not a fast knockdown, meaning insects do not die on the premises. Insects will remove themselves, leaving you nothing to clean up. If unable to leave during closing hours, the insect will die.
Not suitable for high breeze areas. Cannot be installed directly over food prep or chef’s chopping boards. Option here is to install above walkways, beside doorway, over rubbish bins, mops, fridges etc.

Available on the products page

Granules

For the control of flies in turf, garden beds, bin areas, external surrounds of buildings and structures. Keeping granules out of the weather will extend the product life. Add water to make a paste and apply with a paint brush. Paint inside bin lids, top of fence in bin enclosure, under eaves etc.

Insectashield

Suitable for spraying around bin recesses and enclosures, inside bin lids, under outdoor dining tables, loading dock areas and backdoor fly wire screens.  The water based product can be put on a cloth and used to wipe down seating areas, counter fronts, uprights, signage.

Will not harm surfaces. Provides residual protection for several weeks.  Available on the products page  

Fermentation flies

This group of flies includes all the littler, pinhead sized flies. They like to feed on sugary yeasty liquids, fruits, residue left in beverage containers, filth in drains and liquid sitting in cracked tiles.

Left to their own device, they will often be found beneath bar areas, in the dark sticky recesses. When disturbed, they retreat up to the bulk heads. On closer inspection you will see tiny black/brown spots on bulkhead edges, wall edges and above doorways. These little spots are their droppings. Fermentation flies will congregate overhead until it is quiet (closing time) and they can resume their activities down low again.

They like wet mop and broom heads and dirty linen bags. Fermentation flies breed and feed down low. They require moisture, condensation, pooled water in cracked tiles, leaking pipes etc. to feed and breed. This group of flies are happiest at 26 degrees C. They breed and develop in numbers, fast. A few vinegar flies can turn into a cloud in a short period of time.

They tend to persist year-round in the northern half of Australia because of the warmer winters. They are worse during Summer. I have had the most success in treating all varieties of fermentation fly down low where they feed, using the automatic fly spray dispensers.

In these pictures  automatic dispensers are zip tied under the bar. The spray is dispensed across the tun drain and the overflow bucket where the vinegar flies like to feed on the yeasty, sugary beer dregs.

Stored product insects

Stored product insects (SPI) are significant pests. They spend most of their time, including breeding, hidden in their chosen food type. Inspection and early detection can prove difficult. Commodities attacked include cereals, nuts, dried fruit and pulses.

Common Stored Product Pests
SPI fall into two main categories:

• Primary – those having the ability to penetrate whole grains.
  These are further sub-divided into:
  • Internal – species whose life cycle is completed within the grain or bean. The hole left by the exiting adult is characteristic.
  • External – species whose life cycle is completed outside the grain
• Secondary – feed on the fungus present in poorly stored or damaged product.

Particular species of SPI generally infest specific types of product:

Beans, peas and similar foods
Bruchid beetles

Coffee, cocoa
Flour beetles, Merchant grain beetles, Warehouse moths.

Cheese
Mites, Larder beetle, Copra beetle

Dried fruit
Indian meal moth, Merchant grain beetles, Tobacco beetle, Dried fruit beetle, Mites

Dried vegetables
Indian meal moth, miscellaneous general feeders

Flour and milled cereal products
Flour beetles, Mill moth, Indian meal moth, Cadelle, Flat grain beetle, Mites

Grain wheat, rice, corn & other cereals
Rice weevil, Grain weevil, Lesser grain borer, Saw- toothed grain beetle, Cadelle, Flour beetle, Indian meal moth, and Mites

Pasta
Rice and grain weevils, Milled cereal pests

Nuts and confectionery
Indian meal moth, Merchant grain beetle, Mites

Animal materials
Dermestid beetles, Clothes moths, Scavenging moths

Preventive measures

Due to their close relationship with the product, an infestation of stored product insects can remain undetected in the initial stages.

In order to prevent spread of SPI the following steps should be taken:

• All incoming raw materials sampled for the presence of insects
• Strict stock rotation implemented
• Thorough cleaning to prevent build-up of product within storage areas, shelves and machinery
• Monitoring procedures should be in place to identify early signs of infestation
• Staff must be aware of the high-risk areas and products
• Accurate identification is essential in order to pinpoint the likely source of the infestation

Cockroaches

Do all you can to prevent infestations

• Deny access to your premises.
• Seal cracks and crevasses
• Install weather strips at the base of doors, especially the back door.
• Remove all cardboard from premises upon delivery. It may be full of cockroach eggs.
• Deny access to food and water. Kitchen left free of all food, dirty dishes, bins, bottle bins every night.
• Store kitchen items with remnant organic matter, such as mops and rubber floor mats, outside when closed.
• Store food, equipment and food containers off the floor.
• Hose out under deep fryers and services fridges nightly.
• Wash off rubber floor mats at the end of every service.
• Squidgy floor or dry mop to remove all water. Leave floor clean and dry at close of business.
• Keep floor drains clean.
• Cockroaches will eat non- food stuffs such as paper, fabric and leather. Keeping office areas and staff locker rooms clean and free of clutter is worthwhile.

Cockroach control options

Many insect control products will do multiple species including cockroaches and ants.
Always check that the products are suitable for food handling environments.

Cockroach bait

Cockroach bait is common and effective in food sensitive areas. It is available as a liquid, gel or solid.
Baits are placed where cockroaches, their poo or egg cases have been sighted.
The cockroach ingests the bait and returns to the nest. The toxin kills the cockroach. Secondary transmission occurs when other cockroaches consume saliva, faeces or carcass of the dead one. With continued baiting, entire colonies will be eradicated.

Dusting powders

Apply powder to cracks and crevices where cockroaches are known to hide. Pay attention to warm dark areas such as appliance motors. Dusting powder can be used around electricity, unlike liquid sprays. Crawling insect powders will produce a multi-generational kill.
Again, powders will kill directly as the product is absorbed through the soft tissue of the cockroach. Indirectly as the dead cockroach is cannibalised by the existing population. Nymph (or baby cockroach) as they eat the regurgitation left behind by infected adults.
The desired result takes between 1-7 days.

Fly Control Spray

The Fly Control aerosols fitted in an automatic dispenser emit a fine spray of very small (0.1–50 µm) droplets.  As the dispensers operate 24 hours a day the fly control spray will help reduce over all cockroach numbers, having a chance to impact them when they are out of their hiding places and scurrying about. Cockroaches, like other insects, are unable to metabolise the spray. Being airborne, the spray does not permeate the cracks and crevasses where cockroaches hide. To obtain long-lasting cockroach control, a residual product will be necessary.  The fly spray is ideally suited to the treatment of flying pests.

Fumigation

Fumigation is control option better suited to manufacturing, warehousing, milling and agriculture.

Heat treatment

Heat treatment uses a mobile unit that delivers dry heat (50-60 degrees C) over a set time. These temperatures kill cockroaches at all stages of their life cycle.

Monitoring units

A “smart” trap device for detection of crawling insects. This device is a high tech insect trap with a sticky board. The insect crosses a laser beam when it enters the trap which triggers a photo. This happy snap of the insect is sent to the relevant mobile phone.
Simpler monitoring techniques involve a trap with a sticky board and regular checking.

Ants

• Trim plants and trees that touch the exterior of the building.
• Seal cracks and crevices.
• Keep all areas free from food remnants.
• Baits come in the form of gels, powders granules and liquids.
• In some situations clear plastic baiting stations maybe required. They are generally lockable and refillable.

Ants control options

Dusting Powders

Dusting powders can be used to treat ant infestation in hard to reach areas. The dust will flow deep into cracks and crevasses and will cause little to no disturbance. The powder can be used in and around electrical areas unlike aerosols and water-based sprays. Use a light dusting of powder along the ant trails or in the areas where ants are seen moving. The social nature of ants and the slow acting non repellent nature of insect powder will be an effective tool in treating ant infestation.

Liquid bait

Liquid baits need to be placed where they will not be disturbed. Worker ants are liquid feeders so liquid bait is every effective. Many varieties are not classified as a poison – safe indoors and out.

Gel

Gels for total colony control. Gels are highly attractant and can be used indoors or out by either spot treatment or applying to cracks and crevasses. Effective placement could include windowsills, door frames, exterior wall edges, ledges, under sinks and cabinets, counter edges, sides of porches and decks. HACCP approved gels are available.

Granules

Granules for the control of ants in turf and external surrounds of buildings and structures.

Insect control devices for restaurants

What are your options?
Certain solutions are suited to certain situations.

Airlocks

If properly designed, located, and maintained, airlocks are an effective method of preventing the entry of flies. Great for entry into food manufacturing and production areas. Can be much easier to have a fly proof airlock, than trying to fly proof a larger open area inside.
Double doors with an automatic insect unit in the space in between can achieve a similar effect.

Air curtains

Many establishments start with air curtains but these alone do not provide protection from flies. Flies pass happily through them on the shoulders of customers or zip through unescorted without concern. As such, these systems are not in widespread use due to cost and varying degrees of efficiency. If you are considering going down this track, be sure to ask about the noise level of the machines. They can be very noisy. Good for keeping air conditioning inside during summer. Good for odour control.

Automatic fly spray

These units are economical, efficient and fragrance-free. They can be installed just about anywhere, so are great for targeting problem areas. Battery run, no electrician required and HACCP approved. Use this method to create insect free zones while leaving doors and windows open. Great for under bar installation when targeting vinegar fly breeding areas. Easy to operate. Can be switched off during the cooler months. Ideal for flies, vinegar flies and pantry moths. Not suitable for high wind areas. Ideal for indoor use front and back of house. Do not install near fish tanks.    Click here to read through tips on installing automatic fly spray dispensers 

Restaurant insect lights

Insect Trapping

The use of insect traps can rarely be relied on as a method of control but can provide evidence of the species present and an indication of fluctuations in insect numbers. In some situations they may reduce insect numbers.
The main type of insect traps are Electric Fly Control Units. With these devices, flying insects are attracted to an ultra-violet light emitted and are either trapped on an adhesive board or killed by a high voltage electric charge.

Electronic bug zappers

Electronic bug zappers are NOT suitable for food prep areas. Frying, exploding fly parts are catapulted into the surrounds. The electrocuting process emits quite a noise. Keep away from your customers and your kitchen! A fly must pass within 4 meters of the bug zapper to show a distinct positive response. If units are visible from the outside of the building, they may attract flies inside. Must be 10 meters from food stuffs and 4 meters from packing stuffs. The efficiency of UV tubes drops off sharply after scheduled lifespan. Maintenance is important. Dusty UV tubes don’t attract insects. Cleaning the unit and the surrounding area, is important. Dead insects will attract ants, beetles, and other scavenger insects.

Electric Bug Zappers are OUT. Read why. Excerpt from Killing of Flies in Electrocuting Insect Traps Releases Bacteria and Viruses 

Restaurant insect light with an adhesive board

• They operate using a light source to attract insects. Therein lies the problem. Many cafes with open doors and windows are light and bright. During sunny summer days, the outputted light source can be insufficient to attract the insects.

Sunlight will always outshine indoor lights. Where there is competition between an insect light trap and direct sunlight, the sunlight will win. Insect light traps need to be away from external windows and doors, and preferably in areas where there is shadow – or at least a darker background.   Flying insects will always head toward the natural light source.

Some traps employ a pheromone laced adhesive to lure male insects.

Dust and airborne grease will collect on the unit over time, reducing its efficiency. Adhesive boards require regular replacement. Dusty or damp boards will lose their stick.

Units require a power point. Good in darker environments or to attract insects in low light conditions or at night. Maintenance is essential. UV emission from the light degrades rapidly. Lamps should be replaced at between 6-12 months, preferably in spring.

Flying insects can only see an insect light trap that is in “line-of-sight”. If there are multiple areas you are trying to protect, you will require multiple traps.

To be attracted to light traps, insects must come within a certain distance.  (estimated to be 5 meters) Check manufactures recommendations.

Units should not be placed:

• Outside or by open windows and doors where they will catch non-target species and may attract pests inside
• Beside windows or fluorescent lighting where they will compete with sources of UV light
• Over food preparation surfaces where there will be a risk of fall-out from the unit.

Fly and wasp traps

Fly and wasp traps attract the insects by means of liquid bait. Having entered the trap the insects are then unable to escape. Traps in this category include the The Fly Eater Plus Fly Trap. They are very effective outside in your rubbish area.  Trapping flies outside where they breed means less fly problems to solve inside.

With all attractant traps, placement is vital. You do not want to be attracting flies to your premises. Keep all attractant traps away from your doors, windows and customers. They get very smelly when they have flies in them!

Fly screens

Screening doors and windows, most effective if maintained. Poorly fitted screens, holes in screens and doors/windows left open, negate their value. It’s a great idea to have a screen on your back door, especially if it leads to your rubbish bin area.

Screen as much as possible and  spring load them while your there.

Strip curtains

Made of PVC plastic of varying thickness and opacity. Ensure strips are not cut too short when fitted.  Commonly found in cool rooms and freezers.  Can work with high traffic back doors particularly when garbage bins are close by or strong breezes are common place.  They make carrying goods through the door a little challenging.  On the plus side, staff cannot leave the door open! Value is negated when strips are tied back. Will require wiping down at intervals. Good in high breeze, wind tunnel type doorways but can substantially cut airflow in summer.  Not expensive and you can have them made to measure direct from the manufacturer.  To enquire about strip doors click here.  The owners name is Maurice. He is very helpful.

Why food safe fly spray is ideal

Treats multiple pest species including:

• Flies
• Fermentation flies
• Mosquitoes
• Dust mites
• Spiders
• Midgies
• Ants
• Silverfish
• Wasps
• Pantry Moths

Suitable for use in:

• Butchers
• Fishmongers
• Cafes
• Restaurants
• Delis
• Bakeries
• Pubs
• Suitable for AQIS Inspected meat and food processing plants.
• Racing Horse Stables
• Piggeries
• Hatcheries
• Livestock
• People Safe
• Pets Safe (not suitable cold blooded pets – fish, lizards, snakes etc)
• Registered and approved by the APVMA Product No. 85526

Food Safe Fly Spray Is:

• Fragrance free
• Free from harmful chemicals
• HACCP approved
• Economical
• Unobtrusive
• Child and pet friendly
• Effective in low quantities
• Breaks down rapidly in sunlight
• Is short lived in the environment
• Does not bioaccumulate

Breakdown times vary according to temperature and UV light. Pyrethrin half-life ranges from 1.6 to 3.2 hours. The breakdown products are non-toxic and pose no risk. When breathed in or ingested pyrethrins are metabolised. Braking down into non-toxic metabolites. They are then excreted via bowel and bladder.

A field of pyrethrin daisys

I didn’t know that!

Pyrethrin insect powder has been used for hundreds of years. It was first manufactured in Vienna, Austria in the 1880s. The Fly Lady’s spray is a sustainable green product. Manufactured in Sydney, Australia and approved by the APVMA and HACCP Certified.
It is ideal for eliminating flying pests in restaurant spaces.

Orders shipped Australia wide.

Who is the Fly Lady anyway?

For over a decade The Fly Lady has been protecting restaurants, bars, cafes, pubs and caterers Australia wide from flying pests. Drawing on experience as a fine dining chef she applies her expert knowledge to develop a solution for you that keeps your hospitality space fly free.

FAQ