Those in HR are not usually famed for their entomological prowess, but Stuart Morton, Company Entomologist for BioCycle (HK) Ltd. is certainly the exception that proves the rule. He studied at the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources—an unlikely combination where conservation meets compensation and benefits. Morton shares his expertise in the insect world with us, and in the light of so much global business travel, gives advice on what HR can to do to help keep their offices and homes bug free.
With spring upon us, and summer just around the corner we will see the yearly awakening of all sorts of creepy crawlies both at home and around the HR office. There is, however, one insect that never sleeps and is currently hard at work deep underground—the subterranean termite. The most invasive of the species, and a native to Hong Kong, is the Formosan termite which has earnt itself the reputation of being one of the world’s most destructive termite species. With the queen producing over 2,000 eggs a day and a life expectancy of about 15 years, this is a well-earned reputation.
Formosan termite colony sizes can be more than twenty times that of other subterranean species. This truly is a ‘go anywhere and eat anything termite’ and is often credited with eating its way through concrete, although this is not the case. Instead they find a way through the minutest of cracks, so living and working in a concrete jungle is no protection against such a formidable insect.
Formosan termites are not confined to the soil and readily construct their nests above ground in office spaces such as behind sinks and false ceilings, in the bases of cupboard bases and even inside storage boxes that are not regularly opened. How do they get there? From the ground it can be any pathway that provides a connection such as cracks in foundations, building expansion joints, piping conduits, pipe ducts or by flight.
Every summer, often said to herald the onset of a typhoon, we witness swarms of flying ants appear. Most of these are actually termites who seek out suitable mating and nesting sites to begin new colonies. Even though they have poor eyesight they are readily attracted to brightly lit areas. Often after these nuptial flights are completed you will find many discarded wings on the ground around window ledges and door frames. If these are in abundance in or around your home or office buildings you should definitely seek expert advice, as if left unchecked termites can cause significant structural damage.
The world has become the proverbial ‘global village’ and business air travel has become second nature to us all. Unfortunately, it has also become second nature to our oldest and newest foe—the bedbug. Whether you are in New York, Sidney, London or Hong Kong you can still fall foul of this extremely hardy blood sucker that is hitch hiking its way around the world more often than not via your luggage. Whether you are away on holiday or a business trip, you need to be especially careful of where and what you do with your bags at either end of the journey. Check carefully for bed bugs, which being almost completely flat tuck themselves away in the tiniest of cracks. They can most often be found around the piping on the edges of your luggage. If you wake up itching—don’t assume they are just mosquito bites. Bed bugs often repeatedly bit to leave a small line of bites in a row on your skin. Learn to check your mattress and bedding. Bedbugs are most active between 3.00 am and 5.00 am, so you will usually be fast asleep and oblivious to them crawling over your body at night. Then they return to their hiding places in and around your bed, having successfully gorged themselves. Bedbugs don’t care who you are or where you are staying—they just want your blood. Once resident they are also extremely difficult to get rid of and are quite resilient to pesticides, as they tend to hide in crevices. Steam treatment is fairly effective, as is putting all bedding under direct sunlight. But it is still all too easy to miss a few and the cycle starts again. It is therefore best to seek professional help to eradicate them.
When seeking help on any bug related issues always choose a reputable pest management company. Look for one that has good management systems in place—choosing an ISO 9001/14001 certified company guarantees this and serves as an assurance of service quality. Feeling a bit itchy? Better check what’s under your filing cabinet.
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
