You can earn good income providing pest control services.
According to the bureau of statistics the average wage for technicians was $32,
160 per year in 2015.
A pest control provider should be tough, rugged and
resourceful. You need protective gear, commercial license, use approved chemicals
or hardware.
You are to determine your sector of operation. You could
become a pest control dealer or pesticide broker. Others are pest controller or
maintenance garden pest controller.
You could work as an individual or incorporate a
business. The job is applicable part-time or full time depending on your
business template. To succeed in the business you need an effective marketing
strategy, knowledge of the industry and appropriate equipment.
Challenges
Challenges include serious health risks and competition
with established brands. Others include mandatory state regulations,
certification and funding.
More are purchase of appropriate equipment, continuing training
fees. You need a fitted van, adequate storage and disposal unit.
You face litigation, property damage issues and exposure
to harmful chemicals. The job is labor intensive and requires adequate planning/
patience.
Determine
Your Sector of Operation
Before you start the business you need to determine your
sector of operation. You could decide to provide advisory services or become a
dealer designated agent.
Other job specifications are aircraft pest control
operator, qualified applicator and maintenance garden pest controller. You could
decide to deal wholesale retail with equipment or chemicals. Pest controllers should
focus on prevention control and proper pesticide handling.
Learn
the Trade
There are lots of chemical, applications and protective
gear. You should learn about common pests, understand their biology, habits and
diet.
You would need to attend pre-exam workshops, practical’s
and pass state examinations to get pest control certification. To quality as a
pest controller you need 3 months formal training.
A pest control technician’s job description is diagnoses and
control of pests and inspection. They perform inspections, form strategies to eliminate
harmful pests such as rodents and insects.
They handle toxic liquids, chemical solutions and gases. Career
requirements are high school diploma and state additional training.
Personal skills include physical strength, good bookkeeping,
knowledge of chemical solutions and stamina.
Some states require continuing education courses for pest
control technicians. This is to keep them updated to changing trends and
techniques.
Types
of Pests
Pest could cause millions of damage in property or destroy
entire farms. They cause harmful disease, spread epidemic and or health related
problems.
Common pests are termites, ants, cockroaches and bed bugs.
Others include rodents, flies, mosquitoes, fleas, ticks and beetles.
More are wildlife, spiders, stinging pests, earwigs and gnats.
You have weevils fruit flies, stink bug, millipedes and mites.
• Ants
• Cockroaches
• Bed bugs
• Rodents
• Flies
• Mosquitoes
• Fleas
• Ticks
• Beetles
• Wildlife
• Spiders
• Stinging pests
• Earwigs
• Gnats
• Weevils
• Fruit flies
• Stink bug
• Millipedes
• Mites
Types of Pests
• Termites• Ants
• Cockroaches
• Bed bugs
• Rodents
• Flies
• Mosquitoes
• Fleas
• Ticks
• Beetles
• Wildlife
• Spiders
• Stinging pests
• Earwigs
• Gnats
• Weevils
• Fruit flies
• Stink bug
• Millipedes
• Mites
Types
of Pest Control Methods
There are different types of pest control methods
available to technicians. They use animals, repellents, biological agents and
mechanical pest control.
They use physical methods such as barriers, poisoned baits
and elimination of breeding grounds. Other methods include hunt, trap cropping,
field burning, traps and pesticides.
More are space fumigation, space treatment, natural
control methods, destruction of infected plants and sterilization.
• Repellents
• Biological agents
• Mechanical pest control
• Barriers
• Poisoned baits
• Elimination of breeding grounds
• Hunting
• Trap cropping
• Field burning
• Traps and pesticides
• Space fumigation
• Space treatment
• Destruction of infected plants and sterilization.
Pest Control Methods
• Use control animals• Repellents
• Biological agents
• Mechanical pest control
• Barriers
• Poisoned baits
• Elimination of breeding grounds
• Hunting
• Trap cropping
• Field burning
• Traps and pesticides
• Space fumigation
• Space treatment
• Destruction of infected plants and sterilization.
Pesticide
Regulations
There are different regulations guiding the enterprise in
each country. To acquire a license you should be 18 year old and need to pass a
written examination before certification.
There are also certain forms and fees to pay including
associations to join. According to the California department of pesticide
regulations there are 4 categories of licensing.
The categories are individual licenses, business license,
structural pest control license including vector control licenses and certification.
The licenses are granted to businesses and individual operators.
• Vector control license
• Gardener pest control
• Pest control aircraft certification
• Agricultural pest control adviser
• Pest dealership license
• Pesticide broker license
Pest Control Licenses
• Structural pest control license• Vector control license
• Gardener pest control
• Pest control aircraft certification
• Agricultural pest control adviser
• Pest dealership license
• Pesticide broker license
Structural
Pest Control and Vector Control Licenses
Vector control is under the division of communicable
disease control and the structural pest under the structural pest control
board.
Business
Licenses
The business licenses are pest control dealer and
pesticide broker licenses. Other licenses are pest control business license and
maintenance gardener pest control license.
Individual
Licenses
Individuals are granted licenses such as qualified
applicator certificate and qualified applicator licenses. More are maintenance Gardener
pest control, pest control aircraft pilot certification. You have the
agricultural pest control adviser certification and pest control dealer
designated agent license.
Pest
Control Equipment
Pest controllers use many application and protective
equipment. The equipment depends on the type of pest control and management
application.
Common equipment includes sprayers, dusters, granular
spreaders and fogging equipment. Others are bait guns, safety gear, working
gloves, chemical gloves respirators and UV flashlights.
More are spill kits, vacuums, sprayer cleaners, boot
covers, fencing material, baiting tools and aerosol dispensers.
Marketing
The major challenge is finding clients and competition. You
can attract patronage through newspaper, radio and television advertisement.
Use flyers, poster, billboards and higher aggressive
sales agents. Build a website for your business and direct targeted traffic
through online advertisement.