Customer uses Bird-X Device to Get Rid of Bats & Ants

The Transonic Pro electronic pest repelling device has successfully gotten rid of both bats and ants for this satisfied customer. Read his email below:

Dear Person,

Last summer I purchased one of your “Transonic IXL” units to eliminate bats from our barn rafters. They seemed to be multiplying as their droppings were increasing every month. The bats are gone!!

I do not know were they are roosting now, but there are gone from the barn. Not one trace of droppings can be found since the loft floor was cleaned after installation of the IXL unit.

New topic:

ANTS!

Prior to the rainy season that started last December, small (2 mm) black ants started appearing in our home. They seemed to be after water, but there were also getting into food. We would clear the pantry of all items, then spray with a popular brand spray that would kill them in short order. The next day they would reappear some where else. Both bathrooms where water was found seemed to attract them. These ants were in our home for a couple of months and it seemed to be no way to get rid of them.

I had remembered reading the literature that can with the IXL unit, stating that it would repel small crawling insects. I put the unit on our kitchen counter top as the ants had reappeared… Surprise!! One morning all of the ants were dead.

They were on the floor, counter top, etc. Hundreds of ants all Dead!!

Question: What happened to the ants? Did the unit have any thing to do with the death of all the ants?

The unit is still on the kitchen counter top, and still in operation. The ants have not returned.

Sincerely,

Dick Wilkinson

Thanks Dick!

Happy Transonic Pro Customer

Here is an email we recieved from a satisfied customer who used the Transonic Pro to get rid of airwigs and other flying insects:

I just purchased a TransonicPro yesterday.

What a difference a day makes. No more
airwigs, flying insects … wow, gone!

I am very appreciative of your product…

Thanks,

Paul
Descanso, CA

Northwestern Features Bird-X

Bird-X, Inc has been featured in Northwestern University’s Medill Reports. The recession has had a huge impact on our country, but Bird-X has maintained substantial growth with quality products, great service, and continued customer support.

The article in full :

Optimistic local business finds success during the recession

BY JENIECE PETTITT
OCT 01, 2009

“We have chosen not to participate in the recession,” said Dennis Tilles, president of  Bird-X Inc., on Chicago’s West Side.

While many business owners are not as boldly optimistic, they have become less wary about the economic outlook, according to September’s Economic Outlook published by PNC Financial Services Group Inc., of Pittsburgh.

Of the 1,451 U.S. business owners and decision-makers polled in August, only 50 percent said they were still pessimistic about the economy’s recovery in the upcoming six months. When PNC conducted a similar poll in the spring, a record-high 71 percent said they were pessimistic.

But throughout the recession, Tilles has been on the optimistic end of the spectrum.

Bird-X, a small manufacturing firm with 30 employees that specializes in bird and pest control, energy efficient space heaters and dental lab products, has seen its profits soar in the past year. Tilles partly attributes it to an increase in demand for bird control products after a US Airways plane flew though a flock of geese and landed on the Hudson River in January.

Tilles also is aggressive in promoting his products. Bird-X increased its sales and marketing staff in the past year and plans to continue growing it in the next six months. 
“Everyone has to be cost effective, but I think at the same time, there are opportunities,” he said. “The normal tendency is to pull back and we’ve done the exact opposite.”

According to the PNC Economic Outlook survey, six out of 10 U.S. small business owners are considering trimming their labor forces in the next six months.

Robert Dye, senior economist for PNC Financial Services Group, said some companies are better positioned to expand their work force as the economy experiences a “U-shaped recovery.”

“I expect to see a mix,” Dye said. “Some businesses will feel aggressive, some will still feel the need to cut back and many established mid-sized companies are first going to utilize their existing employees before they start hiring again.”

The results also showed that eight out of 10 have yet to experience any benefit from the federal stimulus program.

“At this point I can’t see that we have [benefited], but I think we will,” Tilles said. “It won’t be a direct benefit but the growth opportunities and fiscal stimulus will have some trickle-down effect for us.”

Mega Blaster Bird Scarer Featured on EnergyMatters.com.au

Bird-X’s Mega Blaster Pro has been featured on EnergyMatters.com.au for its effectiveness & energy efficiency as a solar-powered bird scaring device.

The article as written by  Energy Matters:

Keeping birds away from crops and other structures can be a real challenge; particularly when attempting to approach the problem in a humane way.

According to a recent study by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre, birds are surprisingly Australia’s most destructive agricultural pest in monetary terms, even more so than wild dogs, mice, foxes and feral pigs combined. Birds are costing Aussie farmers more than $313 million a year.

Aside from crop damage, birds create problems in urban areas, mainly through nesting and defecation. Birds can also cause solar farm owners headaches as bird faeces can throw shadows over a panel, limiting their efficiency. Once baked on, bird poop can be hard to remove.

This is where solar power can also come to the rescue for protecting solar farms, buildings and crops using bird scaring devices.  The mother of these devices is the Bird Gard Mega Blaster PRO from Chicago based Bird X. The intense sound output covers up to 30 acres (12 hectares). It’s so loud that full volume needs to be engaged from quite a distance using the remote control.

The Bird Gard Mega Blaster PRO includes a 20-speaker tower, built-in 200 watt amplifier and is powered with a 40 watt solar panel and deep cycle battery. The device generates intermittent distress calls to create a “danger zone” that frighten birds away. The unit has a frequency range of 2,000 - 10,000 Hz and generates sound up to 125 decibels, louder than a chainsaw and about the same intensity as a rock concert or pneumatic drill.

Original Article: http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=595

IKEA uses Bird-X Device to Keep Birds Off Store Rooftop

A recent article on Tampa Bay Online features the Mega Blaster Pro as an effective and efficient means of deterring birds over a large rooftop area in a commercial environment.  IKEA facilities managers have successfully gotten rid of a seagull problem that was causing physical & aesthetic damage. In addition to the decrease in building damage, the gulls have decreased loitering in the parking lot, where they had previously harassed customers & left their dropping on cars. The Mega Blaster has so far solved this problem and IKEA customers & facilities managers are no longer bothered by this pesky bird problem.

Bird-X’s Joe Seid is quoted:

“Seagulls are very effectively disturbed by the sound of their own species’ distress call,” Seid said. The Mega Blaster emits the sound a ring-billed seagull makes when being attacked.

View the original article here

YardGard Gets Rid of Evil Cats and Squirrels

5 Star Customer Review

From a satisfied customer:

We had a problem with a neighbor’s two cats using our adjoining flat roof as both a litterbox and a soundstage for howling. We’d tried all sorts of things and nothing seemed to deter them so my wife was looking online for a solution and came upon this gadget. We put it on the roof and to give you an idea of its effect, imagine if you can, the look of a terrified running cat with his paws over his ears. It’s worked on both those guys so well that they haven’t been back in the past year although they’re constantly looking over at it, apparently to see if it’s on.

Our next problem was with squirrels in our backyard. We live in Brooklyn, NY and have about a 20′ x 20′ backyardthat has for years been savaged by squirrels. Last year I humanely trapped seven squirrels for relocation before I finally gave up. This spring we bought another one of these units for the backyard and although they still dance along the chain link fence separating the yards they’ve yet to actually enter our yard to dig it up. For us this thing is a technological marvel and so far has a 100% success rate with annoying critters.

View the YardGard Cat and Squirrel Repeller here.

Effective Bird Control and Why It Is Important

More than 60 transmissible diseases (some of which are fatal) are associated with geese, pigeons, starlings and house sparrows.  For example:

West Nile Virus

West Nile Virus is transmitted via mosquito bites from infected birds and animals to humans. Often serious enough to require hospitalization, it may be fatal to the elderly or immunologic ally compromised, and can leave serious after-effects among infected patients.

Histoplasmosis

Histoplasmosis is a respiratory disease that may be fatal.  It results from a fungus growing in dried bird droppings.

Candidiasis

Candidiasis is a yeast or fungus infection spread by pigeons.  The disease affects the skin, the mouth, the respiratory system, the intestines and the urogenital tract, especially the vagina.  It is a growing problem for women, causing itching, pain and discharge.

Cryptococcosis

Cryptococcosis is caused by a yeast found in the intestinal tract of pigeons and starlings.  The illness often begins as a pulmonary disease and may later affect the central nervous system.  Since attics, cupolas, ledges, schools, offices, warehouses, mills, barns, park buildings, signs, etc. are typical roosting and nesting sites, the fungus is apt to found in these areas.

St. Louis Encephalitis

St. Louis Encephalitis, an inflammation of the nervous system, usually causes drowsiness, headache and fever.  It may even result in paralysis, coma or death.  St. Louis encephalitis occurs in all age groups, but is especially fatal to persons over age 60.   The disease is spread by mosquitoes which have fed on infected house sparrow, pigeons and house finches carrying the Group B virus responsible for St. Louis encephalitis.

Salmonellosis

Salmonellosis often occurs as “food poisoning” and can be traced to pigeons, starlings and sparrows.  The disease bacteria are found in bird droppings; dust from droppings can be sucked through ventilators and air conditioners, contaminating food and cooking surfaces in restaurants, homes and food processing plants.

Besides being direct carriers of disease, nuisance birds are frequently associated with over 50 kinds of ectoparasites, which can work their way throughout structures to infest and bite humans.  About two-thirds of these pests may be detrimental to the general health and well-being of humans and domestic animals.  The rest are considered nuisance or incidental pests.  A few examples of ectoparasites include:

Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius)

Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) may consume up to five times their own weight in blood drawn from hosts which include humans and some domestic animals.  In any extreme condition, victims may become weak and anemic.  Pigeons, starlings and house sparrows are know to carry bed bugs.

Chicken mites (Dermanyssus gallinae)

Chicken mites (Dermanyssus gallinae) are known carriers of encephalitis and may also cause fowl mite dermatitis and acariasis.  While they subsist on blood drawn from a variety of birds, they may also attack humans.  They have been found on pigeons, starlings and house sparrows.

Yellow mealworms (Tenebrio molitor)

Yellow mealworms (Tenebrio molitor), perhaps the most common beetle parasites of people in the United States, live in pigeon nests.  It is found in grain or grain products, often winding up in breakfast cereals, and may cause intestinal canthariasis and hymenolespiasis.

Visit Bird-X.com for humane, non-lethal bird control solutions that aid in reducing disease-bearing bird infestations.

Keep Your Food Processing Plant Bird and Health Code Violation Free

By Dave Kogan Maintaining a building’s facilities is a challenge for most facility managers. Maintaining food processing facilities that must pass regular health inspections is even more challenging. Birds roosting and/or nesting at or near the facility can make it a losing battle. Birds are naturally attracted to food and moisture, so they routinely try to infiltrate food facilities of all types. Birds like to perch outdoors, awaiting their opportunity for entry. The most common “offenders” are pigeons, sparrows and starlings. They either try to roost on the outside of facilities – where droppings can form and degrade food service areas such as loading docks – or they fly in and out to find places to roost, nest or forage for food. Particularly vulnerable are places where garbage is removed or placed in a dumpster. One can almost time the bird activity based on garbage disposal and removal. Birds near food are recognized as a major health issue. Any evidence of adulteration or filth is not tolerated by government regulators and that includes bird droppings, feathers or nesting materials in food processing plants, warehouses or any other food establishment. It’s not just low tolerance, it’s NO tolerance. All objectionable bird activities must be prohibited in the area to prevent contamination. Undoubtedly, bird control is a critical issue in the food industry, but solutions can be simpler than some people realize. Part of a facility manager’s job is to educate their companies on the issues and find solutions to eradicate the problem. Cleanliness outside the facility is a key factor. The less there is to eat, the less attractive the facility becomes to them. Food facility managers need to take active measures to prevent food spills and access to garbage and disposal areas. AND there are other effective measures to deter birds. Preventing A Serious Crime Loading dock with spikes. One of the primary methods of controlling bird pests in an outside area is to erect a physical barrier. By nature, birds are inclined to hop on platforms. Find ledges, overhangs and niches to settle on, and squeeze through structural cavities in search on a fly-in space. A physical barrier disrupts this normal pattern of bird behavior. If the bird is made uncomfortable enough, you can change its pattern. What works for many battle weary food facility managers are spike needle strips. These branched, plastic protrusions are typically installed on ledges, roofs, architectural outcroppings and other favorite bird landing sites. The densely branched and spaced spikes prevent birds from roosting and also from squeezing between the spiky extensions. A physical barrier won’t necessarily prevent birds from getting in, but it changes their pattern of behavior. The birds may alight on a fence or other object instead. If the birds are moved over one-hundred feet away, that’s enough to inhibit them and prevent droppings in vulnerable areas. Assessing Vulnerability The U.S. Food and Drug Administration rules and various state regulations governing food facilities are quite rigorous. The FDA regulations are worded very strongly, including any food that is “packaged, processed or held under unsanitary conditions where it may cause a problem or become adulterated.” This statement leaves the door wide open to regulatory violations that can be cited by agents or inspectors. Some companies use audible and/or inaudible sound deterrents coupled with various visual scare devices such as scare balloons, fake owls and holographic tape. Bird problems are highly visible and can not only be a health issue where food is concerned, but can also be a threat to a worker’s health and safety. Slip-and-fall accidents and disease spread from bird droppings are the two main reasons for cleaning up bird mess and deterring birds. The recent salmonella poisoning found at the Peanut Corp. of America in Georgia is just one example of poor bird control. Since the peanuts were not properly roasted, the feces from the birds that had infiltrated the plant and/or roosted on parts of the broken roof were able to deposit their droppings right on the peanuts during the production process. Some companies have even used poison, but poison in today’s society is not acceptable in terms of environmental concerns and safety issues. Plus, poison doesn’t change the behavior of new roosting birds. They don’t know that the area is inhospitable because their “friends” are not around to tell them. The best way to assess problem areas is to thoroughly inspect a facility. Grocery stores and bakeries, for example, are attractive to birds at the back door receiving area, especially if the receiving area includes overhangs and ledges that provide weather protection for the birds plus an occasional opportunity for flying in to grab food. Birds are totally objectionable around grocery stores because shoppers coming in and out see the birds and their droppings in full view. And of course, so do state and federal regulators. The bird problem is magnified in food storage warehouses and processing plants due to the occurrence of even more doors, ledges, windows and delivery vehicles coming and going through open doors. Impressions Count Inspectors judge on general appearance. If birds are visible nearby, their mere presence can trigger a closer inspection. Further, bird droppings can be a health hazard, harboring disease and parasites that are harmful to humans as was with the recent outbreaks of salmonella found in peanuts, tomatoes, spinach, etc. The goal of the spikes and other barriers is to prevent the problem from showing up in the first place. Spikes are sold in convenient 12-inch segments and are easy-to-install with a caulking compound or other adherent. On wider ledges, customers can apply two rows of Spikes for fuller coverage. While there’s no single answer to bird control, a physical barrier used in conjunction with visual scare devices and electronic sound repellers tend to be the ultimate solution in keeping birds away. And they save in clean up costs. These solutions are relatively inexpensive and are one-time costs. One cannot put a price tag on being cited for a critical regulatory violation. In the worst case, a facility could lose its license to operate. Nobody wants that kind of hassle. For more information or to find a solution for your bird control problem, visit us at www.bird-x.com

Mega Blaster Pro Keeps Birds Out of Vineyard

We just received a new testimonial from a customer who utilized the Mega Blaster Pro wide area bird repeller in his bird control operation. The mission was to keep birds out of their vineyard. There wasn’t enough time to install bird netting, so the Mega Blaster was mounted on a trailer and provided instant reduction in bird damage. In this application, the Mega Blaster proved effective over approximately 20.5 hectacres.

24 April 2009

Hello all,

We have finished using the Mega Blaster in our vineyards now and are very pleased with the results. The unit was mounted on a trailer and shifted every couple of days to confuse the birds. It was mostly used in areas we hadn’t had time to cover with nets. The 4 extra speakers and amplifier gave us maximum sound penetration. There was very little bird damage within a 200 metre radius (12 hectares) and it was significantly reduced over a 250 metre radius (20.5 hectares).

We have used electronic bird repellers for many years with various degrees of success but they had micro chips with harassment sounds which were annoying for neighbours. The customized micro chips programmed to suit our bird species, were much more pleasant and successful. Iwould have no hesitation in recommending this electronic equipment as an important tool in bird control.

Regards,
Herman S———
S——– Estate

View the Bird-X Mega Blaster Pro wide area bird control system

Wrigley Field Strikes Out the Birds

Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs

Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, celebrated its 90th season in 2003. Located at the corner of Clark and Addison Streets on Chicago’s north side, the park has an illustrious past and present. Built in 1914, just two years behind Boston’s Fenway Park, Wrigley Field is the second oldest ballpark in the major leagues. Legendary home runs bounced and still bounce onto Sheffield Avenue in the residential neighborhood outside Wrigley’s right-center wall.

Wrigley Field got its name in 1926, when the Wrigley family of chewing gum fame bought the Chicago Cubs team. In 1937, the bleachers were added to provide more seating. The original scoreboard from 1937 continues to serve the ballpark, one of the last scoreboards in the majors where numbers are changed by hand. With its ivy-clad outfield walls and usually lush grass, Wrigley Field has attained iconic status as a real baseball park - the way baseball was meant to be played, in an open, homey, comfortable, natural setting. The design of the stadium puts the fans close to the action, enhancing the sense of personal involvement. Wrigley Field had no lights until 1988 - when the Cubs played their very first at-home night game.

Tradition and history embrace Wrigley Field and the much-loved Cubs team, whose diehard fans have always understood that the journey can be more important, entertaining and emotional than the outcome - especially during the Cubs frequent uphill seasons over the decades. When the Wrigley family ended its 65-year ownership of the team and sold the Cubs to the Tribune Company in 1981, no one dreamed of changing the name of the field. It’s here to stay. But there was a new wrinkle in 2003. As Wrigley Field prepared to play host to the usual array of National League champ wannabes, it also battled an unwelcome new pre-season rival: PIGEONS in its renowned upper deck.

Winning Series for the Birds

It isn’t only Cubs fans who love Wrigley Field. “Pigeons like to roost on the trusses that support the upper deck,” notes Paul Rathje, Director of Stadium Operations at Wrigley Field for the last six years. “This causes problems for the people seated below,” he says, tactfully understating the issue. Besides the lure of roosting in the structural beams, the pigeons are naturally attracted to the food purchased by the crowds of fans who fill the stands. A bird’s delight; a stadium director’s horror.

During the prior season, Rathje had tried a few tricks of his own to defeat the pigeons. “First, we tried using treated corn,” he recalls. The kernels contain a substance that is supposed to annoy the pigeons by disrupting their equilibrium. The effect, if any, was undetectable. Next, Rathje and his crew tried applying a sticky gel on the trusses to discourage landing. But, says Rathje, there were too many trusses and beams to get sufficient coverage. It was not a practical approach. They tried plastic owls to bother the birds - to no avail.

Now it was spring 2003, with the new season opening in May. Rathje concluded that it was time to call in the professionals to discuss a sonic device he’d heard about, manufactured by Chicago-based Bird-X, Inc., for deterring birds. Bird-X, in turn, referred Rathje to a bird-deterrence consultant, Kevin Connelly, General Manager of Premier Pest Elimination in Chicago.

Professionals At Bat

Wrigley Field

“Food service and pigeon excrement don’t mix,” Connelly states bluntly. Health issues abound. “When 40,000 fans come to an outdoor venue and you have bird droppings, the probability rises geometrically that someone will be affected by contaminants,” he elaborates. Also, he adds, the cost of cleaning up resistive bird residue on the seats and in the stands before and after each game is considerable. Connelly met on-site with Rathje, just weeks before the season opener, to assess the situation. Speed was of the essence; so was efficacy.

Connelly explained the options, including the installation of

extensive netting in Wrigley Field’s vast superstructure to restrain the birds from roosting. This would require much longer than two weeks to install properly. Even more to the point, it would break Rathje’s budget. Rathje preferred Connelly’s other proposal: installing ultrasonic devices to get the most bang for Wrigley Field’s buck, and the most coverage considering the expanses to be protected. The two men worked out a plan to install seven Bird-X Ultrason X units and seven Super BirdXPeller PRO units in the trusses under the upper deck and in the lower deck corners.

Double Play Against the Birds

The double whammy on the birds was deliberate and logical. As Bird-X President Ron Schwarcz explains, “The area to control was large enough to require several sonic units. We selected two different types of units to produce greater variety of sound. This would provide immediate results while helping prevent long-term acclimation, since birds don’t like surprises and unpredictable changes.” The Ultrason X product uses ultrasonic sound waves to repel birds and other nuisance critters.

The basic technology isn’t new; Bird-X incorporated it into its product line 40 years ago to deter birds in enclosed areas like warehouses and loading docks, where walls and roofs could magnify the impact of the sound. In a recent breakthrough, Ultrason X is the first device to take ultrasonic sound OUT of doors effectively. The second type of deterrence device, Super BirdXPeller PRO, pushes the sound much farther and is ideal for large, open areas. It works on the bird’s psychological state, as Ron Schwarcz explains: “The machine incorporates the birds’ own distress calls to repel the ‘usual suspects’ - pigeons, sparrows, starlings and other common pests.

Then we added the sounds of two predators, knowing that these cries would scare all birds universally.” For maximum effect, the Super BirdXPeller is programmable to produce random timing, volume and frequency. Connelly concurs. With 15 years of pest control experience, he concludes that these two products work better together than either one alone. “Also,” Connelly assures, “the devices don’t hurt the birds. It’s not an aggressive action.” This keeps the peace with animal lovers.

Season Opener in the Upper Deck

Connelly worked cooperatively with the union electricians on staff at Wrigley Field to devise a protocol for smooth supervision and installation. The big day came in late May 2003. When the Bird-X units were turned on, “The birds flapped out,” Rathje says. “About 90 percent of the birds left for good,” says Connelly. It wasn’t a total elimination, both men agree, but it forced the bird problem to fall within an acceptable tolerance range.

That was the goal, Connelly says, noting that realistic expectations and budgetary constraints are always factors in choosing solutions for large facilities. “We’re changing the habits of an animal,” Connelly continues. And sometimes that involves reasonable compromise.

For example, the sonic equipment at Wrigley Field is turned off during home games because it was felt that the audible portion of the sound would disturb the fans. Consequently, some pigeons return while the units are turned off. Immediately after the game, the units are turned on again, to good effect. It’s a compromise that works for Wrigley Field.

Come Out Swinging

Pigeon droppings in sports stadiums and other outdoor facilities are irritating, unsanitary, messy, smelly, repugnant, difficult to clean up, and a darn nuisance. Operations Director Rathje has advice for other facilities managers: Consider the various bird-deterrence alternatives, depending on the facility’s architecture, where the birds roost, and the expanse of the space affected.

Connelly agrees.

‘Then base your decision on the limits of your budget, the realities of the time needed for proper installation, and your tolerance level for effectiveness.” He reminds directors that a 100 percent solution can be prohibitively expensive and often is not necessary. From the professional’s point of view, bird deterrence pays for itself rapidly in reduced clean-up costs; but, says Connelly, the benefits of bird control go far beyond economics and into intellectual values of improved aesthetics, environmental safety and positive public relations.

You can’t put a price on those.

By R.W. Delaney, Business Writer