Fumigation is the process of removing insects from a commodity, typically called stored product insects (SPIs). Such as Grain Weevil, Saw-tooth Grain Beetle, or Rust Red Grain Beetle. This can be a number of things, a grain store, a silo, stacked products or within a container. There is a slight misconception that fumigation is often used to treat pests within the home, we do remove pests from the home, but in the industry, we don’t tend to refer to it as fumigation.
The process of fumigation involves us placing a fumigation sheet within the grain. After that, the grain is bedded down and sealed. We’ll seal this within a grain store, a bin or a silo. We’ll insert the substance beneath the sheet to begin the treatment. This sheet releases a gas called Phosphine (pH3). The result of using this kills all targeted pests within the commodity. Find out more about grain store fumigation here.
What does fumigation mean?
Fumigation is the process of removing pests using a gas substance that penetrates the product over a number of days. It’s not the process of removing pests from your home such as fleas, moths or bed bugs, these are removed using spray or heat treatments.
What is a fumigator and what treatments do you offer?
A fumigator is a highly trained professional who has to complete qualifications to allow them to administer the gasses to remove pests from things such as grain and store products. Find out more about the treatments we offer.
Find out more about the different types of fumigation services we offer:
- Grain stores
- Silos
- Shipping containers
- Stack fumigation & under sheet commodities
- Pre-Harvest treatments
Unsure about the level of infestation or what treatment is right for you? call us on: 0117 939 5775 to talk through your options and get a quote today.
The main types of Fumigation
Grain Store Fumigation
Grain Fumigation is a service for those who have problems with pest control in grain or rice stock. Our fumigation solutions are for numerous industries including farmers and millers within the agricultural industry. We can also provide pest solutions further down the logistics and supply chain. We can provide solutions for containers and storage used in the shipping and transport of grain, rice and other related agricultural products. Find out more on grain store fumigation.
Silo Fumigation
Large silos are perfect storage for grain, but often they’re prone to infestation. It’s important to check for any leaks, cracks or damage before we begin fumigation. This is due to the increasing incidence of insects and pests becoming immune to phosphine gas. A properly sealed silo keeps the fumigant within the grain or seed long enough. And at sufficient concentrations to achieve a complete kill of all insects at all life stages, including eggs. We will force air through the silo to remove the phosphine when fumigation is complete. Find out more silo fumigation.
Shipping Container Fumigation
We use a Phosphine gas to fumigate containers. We do this over a period of time, which is dependent on the scale of the project, humidity and level of infestation. The gas once sealed at the right concentration destroyed both pests and their eggs. After treatment, we air the container and we provide all clearance certificates so you can be assured for clearance during import or export. Find out more on how we fumigate shipping containers.
Types of Fumigation treatments
Pre-harvest spraying and mist-blowing
Typically, the source of insects infesting a newly stored commodity is from populations already infesting some previously stored material. That’s why preparing your grain store before you harvest is a must. The most common pests are different types of beetle. Beetles produce 200 eggs at a time, two beetles can multiple to 90 million in a year, with the potential to destroy 50 tonnes of grain. You won’t find these pests in the crop fields. They lie dormant until you bring them a feast. The primary pests damage grain, they raise the temperature and moisture levels. That’s why we recommend a pre-harvest treatment that can include spraying of the entire store, from floor to ceiling. If your store has high ceilings, we can also mist-blow the area to ensure even the hardest-to-reach areas are treated. Find out more about what we use and how we do it here.
Phosphine Fumigation
Using Phosphine gas as a method of fumigation is one of the most popular methods of dealing with goods contaminated by pests. This is because of how effective it is in reaching and penetrating deeply into your products. From grains and rice to timber planks and furniture. Simply put, phosphine gas destroys all sources and traces of contamination which can’t be reached any other way. Furthermore, phosphine gas eliminates all life cycle stages of the pest. This includes eggs with all the advantages of leaving no pesticide residues. The process usually only takes 14 days, with longer cycles determined by levels of contamination and humidity. Find out more on our dedicated Phosphine gas page.
Do you fumigate houses?
Often there is some confusion about fumigation treatments, we don’t tend to fumigate homes, these treatments tend to be spray treatments or heat treatments. We won’t fumigate your home, but if you’re looking to remove a pest from your home give us a call to discuss a suitable treatment tailored to removing whatever pest you have in your home.
What other pests can you remove pests from my home without fumigating it?
If you have a pest problem, we’ll be able to help you. Depending on what infestation you have will depend on the treatment we provide, check out our specific pages for rats, mice, fleas, moths, bed bugs and much more on our specific pest pages or call us today to discuss the best treatment for you.
What’s the difference between fumigation and other pest removal services?
The difference between fumigation and other pest removal services are simple. We tend to use fumigation for commercial pest removal from grain or commodities that are prone to be infested with stored product pests. And with domestic pest removal, we’ll use a spray or heat treatment to destroy the pest lifecycle and remove them from your home. Find out more about treatments for: