Effective stored product pest management isn’t just about controlling infestations; it’s about significantly cutting costs, safeguarding product quality, and boosting food safety.
For decades, I, Giridhar Pai, Managing Partner at GPA, have been at the forefront of this critical field in India, leading the way in advanced stored product insect (SPI) pheromone monitoring.
Addressing the Next-Gen Pest Management Technology Trends Workshop
It’s a true honour to announce my participation in the upcoming Next-Gen Pest Management Technology Trends Workshops organized by the Indian Pest Control Association (IPCA) and E&G Pathway. I will speak in Chennai on June 9th, 2025, and in New Delhi on June 11th, 2025.
My presentation, “Enhancing Stored Product Pest Management Through Pheromone-Based Monitoring,” will allow me to trace my journey and the evolution of SPI pheromone monitoring from 1995 to 2025.
Enhancing Stored Product Pest Management Through Pheromone Based Monitoring – a session by Giridhar Pai at the Next-Gen Pest Management Technology Trends Workshops on June 9th, 2025 at Chennai and June 11th, 2025 at New Delhi
My Journey: Transforming Indian Pest Control with Pheromone Monitoring
My career has been dedicated to introducing and advancing innovative pest management solutions in India:
- A Legacy of Innovation in the Food Industry: Starting in 1995 as a food safety manager at AVT McCormick Ingredients Limited, I pioneered the use of pheromone traps to monitor notorious pests like cigarette, confused, and red flour beetles, and almond moths. This groundbreaking Indian food industry pheromone monitoring program, which was initiated nearly thirty years ago, continues to be highly effective today. It is a testament to pheromone traps’ enduring relevance and efficacy in monitoring stored product insects (SPI).
- Introducing Global Standards to India: After joining Pest Control (India) Private Limited (PCI) in 2000, I strategically introduced Trece, Inc.’s (Trece) Storgard insect monitoring systems to PCI and its customers. Following importing Storgard pheromone traps and lures, I launched comprehensive SPI monitoring services, known as the “Stored Insect Monitoring (SIM) service,” leveraging these traps and lures against common Indian food industry SPI pests.
- Establishing GPA’s Focus on Advanced Pest Monitoring: In 2020, after establishing Giridhar Pai Associates (GPA), I focused the company on providing advanced pest monitoring and prevention tools. As of June 2025, GPA’s cutting-edge pest monitoring solutions include FLYght UV LED Insect Light Traps, Storgard Insect Monitoring Systems, and New Serrico Traps. Furthermore, through a partnership with Gumtree Traps Pvt. Ltd., I introduced the SPP Diamond Trapp for monitoring almond moths and a specialized Beetle Attractant Oil that significantly enhances the attraction of SPI beetles to pheromone traps.
- Ensuring Consistent Supply & Diverse Choices: In 2024, I successfully reintroduced Storgard products for Indian customers by proactively resolving previous supply chain issues. Also, in 2024, I proudly introduced Fuji Flavors Co. Ltd.’s New Serrico Trap to the Indian food industry – a significant milestone, as no distributor had previously attempted its introduction to this sector despite its long-standing use in the Indian tobacco industry.
The GPA Advantage: Empowering Indian Industries with Advanced SPI Solutions
Over the past 18 months, GPA has achieved remarkable success in promoting SPI pheromone traps and lures across the food, tobacco, and pest control industries. Users of Storgard and Serrico Traps consistently express satisfaction with GPA’s regular and assured supply of these essential products, underscoring our commitment to reliability.
- For Indian Pest Control Operators (PCOs): Pheromone trap monitoring represents an ideal opportunity, offering innovative services to generate new revenue streams. PCOs who invest in this technology and equip themselves with the necessary knowledge will gain a significant competitive advantage, as discerning food companies are increasingly seeking reliable stored product insect monitoring service contracts.
- For Indian Food & Tobacco Industries: Since fumigation is often an expensive curative treatment for commodities, Indian food and tobacco industries can strategically utilize pheromone traps. These traps enable them to determine the optimal timing for fumigation and to continuously monitor its effectiveness through precise trap counts, leading to smarter, more cost-effective pest management strategies.
Under my visionary guidance, the Indian pest control industry is now well on its way to achieving superior stored product protection through advanced pheromone trap monitoring.
Key Innovations: Next-Generation Pheromone Trap Technology Marketed by GPA
As the theme of the upcoming workshops is “Next-Gen Technology,” it’s crucial to highlight the incredible features of the pheromone traps and lures we supply that make them more efficient, effective, and user-friendly than ever before:
- New Serrico Trap: This innovative trap features a single attractant that intelligently combines the pheromone and kairomone of the previous version. This simplification eliminates the need for separate components, making it much easier and quicker for users to assemble and deploy, saving valuable time.
- Pre-baited Storgard Thinline III Traps: Say goodbye to fiddly lure insertions! Thinline III traps come with pheromone lures pre-inserted directly into the trap. Users need to remove them from their packaging for immediate deployment. Such “pre-baiting” reduces user effort, minimizes handling errors, and ensures consistent application.
- Storgard Quick Change (QC) Dome: First launched by Trece in 2013 in the USA, the QC Dome revolutionized SPI monitoring. It utilizes a convenient lure tray to replace separate pheromone lures and kairomone oil, a common feature in older Storgard Dome Traps. The QC Dome Trap’s improved pheromone lure and multi-component kairomone dramatically boost its effectiveness in monitoring a wider range of SPI beetles.
- Ultra-Combi Quick Change Traps: Imagine monitoring more pests with fewer traps! The versatile QC Dome can monitor five specific beetle species via pheromones and an additional seven (twelve) through kairomones or food attractants. The UC lure’s advanced lure optimization helps reduce the overall number of traps needed for comprehensive multi-beetle pest monitoring, leading to cost and labour efficiencies.
- Foil-Wrapped Traps and Lures: Trece has pioneered specialized foil wrapping for their traps and lures. This innovative packaging eliminates bulky secondary packaging and ensures that Storgard’s product quality is preserved. Foil wrap translates to enhanced product integrity upon arrival and extended shelf-life during storage.
- Storgard Quick Change (QC) Moth and Beetle Trap: The QC Moth and Beetle Trap’s ingenious combination utilizes a Storgard II trap with targeted pheromones for cigarette beetles, khapra beetles, and almond moths. The QC Motha and Beetle Trap simplify user monitoring, allowing them to effectively monitor both key beetle and moth species with a single, integrated trap.
- Long-Lasting Pheromone Lures: GPA gradually introduces Trece’s newer ‘enhanced’ lure formulations in India. Trece’s advanced lures feature optimized pheromone release rates, extending their effectiveness to two months. Using these long-life Storgard lures significantly reduces the frequency of lure changes, directly saving labour costs and operational time for pest control operators.
At GPA, we are deeply committed to bringing these advanced SPI monitoring solutions directly to your doorstep.
We aim to help you achieve more precise, efficient, and effective stored product insect management.
We’re not just supplying products; we’re providing the expertise and the cutting-edge tools to tackle today’s pest challenges.
Contact us today for your stored product insect pheromone trap and lure requirements.