Volume 5, March 2006
Eagerly Awaited Spring Issue
- LCOs and PMPs Get 'In-The-Know' About TopChoice at Annual Summits
- TopChoice on the Scene at Home and Garden Shows
- Gearing Up for Fire Ant Season
- TopChoice Quiz Gets Readers Fired Up
- Spring Gets Hot With TopChoice at the Atlanta Dogwood Festival
LCOs and PMPs Get 'In-The-Know' About TopChoice at Annual Summits
For the third consecutive year, Bayer Environmental Science hosted its Healthy Lawns, Healthy Business Summit Series in several of the most bug-ridden southern states. The events took place throughout January and February in Charleston, S.C; Houston, Texas; Grapevine, Texas; Jacksonville, Fla; Braselton, GA; West Palm Beach, Fla; Fort Myers, Fla; Tampa, Fla and Destin, Fla.
Lawn care and pest mangement professionals attended the day-long summits to learn about the newest developments in lawn care and pest control technology and business strategies to improve their customer service. Over 800 professionals from nine states attended the events that featured a variety of specialists in the lawn care and pest management fields.
"This is a business that is constantly experiencing growth and change," says Foster McWhorter, lawn & lawnscape market specialist, Bayer Environmental Science. "These summits are a great opportunity for professionals to continue educating themselves and stay on top of industry trends."
TopChoice on the Scene At Home and Garden Shows
This spring, TopChoice certified lawn care professionals will occupy booths at local home and garden shows throughout the South.
During the show, lawn care professionals will be available to answer questions pertaining to your lawn care and fire ant control needs and will provide the best ways to protect you, your family and your pets. Brochures, tip cards and gardening gloves will be available to homeowners who stop by the booth.
Additionally, homeowners can enter in the TopChoice: Building Healthy Neighborhoods Swing Set Giveaway to win a fabulous swing set for you and your children.
So be sure to look for your local lawn care professional at a home and garden show near you.
Gearing Up for Fire Ant Season
As spring approaches and the weather begins to warm, flowers are blooming and children start to play outside again. The sunny weather also means that fire ant season is kicking into high gear.
Warm, damp weather brings fire ants to the surface and dangerous mounds are not far behind. Always be on the lookout for visible mounds in your lawn or garden and pay particular attention to areas where kids play or animals are kenneled. To test for foraging, carefully throw a potato chip on or near a mound. If fire ants begin eating the chips within 30 minutes then they are foraging.
To prevent fire ant risks this spring, contact your local lawn care or pest management professional and ask for TopChoice.
TopChoice Quiz Gets Readers Fired Up
How educated are you when it comes to fire ants? Whether you feel like a novice or an expert, it never hurts to learn more when it comes to these pesky insects.
This spring, TopChoice will launch "The Stinging Truth About Fire Ants, " an online quiz designed to help you learn about the danger of fire ants and how to protect yourself and your family from harm in your own backyard.
The ten question quiz will determine the level of your fire ant knowledge, and upon completion, you can enter to win a $250 gift certificate to you local day spa!
Stay tuned for officical quiz launch dates and additional prize information.
*Sweepstakes is subject to rules of each state and is not available in all states.
Spring Gets Hot With TopChoice at the Atlanta Dogwood Festival
This April, the Annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival will celebrate its 70th anniversary in the 100-acre Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Ga. Guests travel from all over the country to the festival which features live entertainment, an artist market, a kid's village, food and the US Disc Dog Southern Nationals competition.
During the festival, local artists, restaurants and companies will have booths set up for games and giveaways. TopChoice fire ant control will be among the vendors, as well as on the sidelines of the canine competition. A local lawn care professional will be on hand to offer tips to homeowners on protecting property and loved ones from fire ants.
Always a crowd favorite, Captain TopChoice will be at the festival entertaining children and adults alike.
"400,000 visitors are expected to turn out for the festival this year," says Michael Owen, lawn & landscape market specialist, Bayer Environmental Science. "Our goal during the festival is to spread awarness about the dangers of fire ants, as well as provide tips on how people can protect their properties from an infestation."
