What is connected pest control? A guide for facility managers

Quick overview

• Connected pest control uses IoT sensors to monitor sites 24/7.
• Sensors send real-time alerts the moment rodent activity starts.
• Activity data is logged automatically for reporting.
• It gives facility managers visibility across single or multiple sites.
• Continuous monitoring can cut rodenticide use by up to 60%.

You may have heard the term ‘connected pest control’ and wondered what, exactly, is meant by it. The short answer is, connected pest control is pest management with a set of digital eyes that never blink. Instead of relying only on periodic visits, connected devices protect your facility around the clock and send an alert the moment something is captured. For facility managers, that changes what you can see, what you can prove, and how quickly you can act.

Here is how it works, and why it is reshaping the way facilities handle pest risk.

What connected pest control actually is

Connected pest control, sometimes called smart or IoT pest control, puts internet-connected sensors inside monitoring or capture devices. Those sensors detect rodent activity and report it automatically, without anyone needing to be on site.

The idea borrows from the same technology behind smart building systems. Just as connected sensors track temperature or energy use, connected pest devices track pest activity and feed that information back to your provider in real time. It turns pest control from an occasional check into a continuous stream of information about your building.

How IoT pest monitoring works

The technology sounds complex, but the flow is simple. It comes down to three steps.

1. Monitoring and detection

Connected units use infrared sensors placed inside indoor traps and exterior bait stations. When a rodent triggers a device, the sensor registers the activity right away. Because the sensors run 24 hours a day, there is no waiting for a scheduled visit to find out something is wrong.

2. Alert and response

Once a device is triggered, it transmits an alert to your local Ehrlich team. That prompt lets a technician respond quickly and focus on the exact spot where activity was detected, rather than working through a whole site blind. It is the difference between reacting to a problem and getting ahead of one.

3. Data and reporting

Every activation is recorded automatically. Over time, that builds a clear log of where and when activity happens across your facility, which is far more reliable than notes from a single walkthrough.

How connected monitoring is changing facility management

This is where connected pest control matters most for people who run buildings. It shifts pest management from a task you schedule to a system you can see.

• Full visibility: you get an accurate picture of pest activity across your site, not just a snapshot from the last visit.
• Simpler compliance: automated activity records support audit and inspection requirements, which is critical in food production, healthcare, and hospitality.
• Multi-site oversight: for teams managing several locations, remote monitoring means you can track activity across every commercial site without being physically present at each one.
• Smarter use of time: technicians spend less time checking quiet stations and more time on areas that actually need attention.

There is an environmental payoff too. Because problems get caught early, treatment can be targeted rather than routine. Rentokil's data shows connected monitoring can reduce rodenticide use by up to 60%, which helps facilities meet tightening regulations and sustainability goals at the same time.

Is connected pest control right for your facility?

Connected monitoring adds the most value where the stakes are high and gaps are costly: large buildings, multi-site operations, and any facility where a rodent issue could trigger a failed inspection. Given that rodent pressure is now a year-round concern, continuous visibility is becoming less of a luxury and more of a baseline for serious rodent control.

See connected pest control in action with PestConnect

Connected pest control turns a guessing game into a clear view of what is happening in your building. PestConnect uses IoT monitoring devices to track rodent activity 24/7, alert your local Ehrlich team the instant something is detected, and build a record you can rely on for reporting. To see how it would work across your facility, request a free inspection with your local Ehrlich team.