Also, how did you get into it, and what sort of education or certifications (if any) did you need?
And if you were to get into the same niche today, would you? (And in some cases–COULD you, or has the door closed?)
I dont know if its really “Lesser Known”, but pest control is a very interesting field to work in and isnt often talked about in many circles.
Its essentially future proof, as we’re always going to have pests. Its one of those jobs where its the same enough every day that you get a little better, but different enough from call to call to keep you challenged and stay interested.
I wished that I had even considered it an open back in High School and gone to college/university to actually study pests in an academic setting, and be able to participate in some of the groundbreaking work taking place currently.
Has it ever happened that you accidentally took some pests (like bed bugs or cockroaches) home in your clothes or bag and infected your own home with it?
Nah. I mean, it can happen, and really only with bedbugs, but only if you’re not careful.
Roaches have no interest in being on your person, so.its not like they’re going to hitch a ride home with you. If I were to, say, take home a cardboard box from a heavily infested unit, then maybe (they loooove corrugated boxes), but that fall under “not careful”.
Bed bugs are pretty much the same. I mean, if you give a bear hug to a mattress that is heavily infested, then there is a chance that one could make it onto you and you bring it home, but theyre actually not that great at holding on (they are not like ticks where they latch on).
My only precaution is an ocular patdown of myself when I leave a unit, and as soon as I get home, my uniform goes into the dryer on High for 40 minutes to kill anything in the off chance I brought a bed bug or an egg home with me.
