When Stephen Opal shows up at a warehouse to get rid of a rodent problem, he's not just looking to get rid of those mice. He wants to know where they're coming from and how to keep them from coming back.
It's a bit like detective work. And it's one of the things Opal likes best about his job.
"Each job is a unique puzzle. Similar situations may offer similar solutions, but the causes may be as unique as snowflakes," says Opal, who works in Michigan.
The occupation runs in Opal's family. It began with his grandfather's pest control company, which was passed along to his father and now belongs to Opal. He's been working in the field for over 20 years.
Opal has seen some big changes in pest control since he started, but the biggest has to be the improvement in public image.
"Image has improved 10,000-fold. Twenty years ago, people saw pest control as a dirty business that involved unkempt men in beat up trucks driving around with fumes leaking from the vehicle." Opal says there still are a few operators like this around, but the majority have changed.
He says advertising and the professional attitude of bigger companies have made a difference in the way people see pest control workers.
"Companies like Orkin, Terminix and Rose have really led the way in showing the service technician as a clean, professional and concerned individual through TV advertising and corporate policy," says Opal. National pest control associations are working hard to clean up this industry's image as well.
Opal's day is busy. He starts the morning treating and inspecting commercial buildings, like stores and restaurants. Later in the day, he moves on to residential customers. He finishes his day with office buildings.
"It can be anything from a warehouse with rats or mice to a restaurant with a roach problem due to poor sanitation."
Opal says educating customers about proper sanitation is a very important part of his job. In pest control, prevention is a big part of the cure.
One of Opal's biggest frustrations is treating a site over and over because the owners refuse to take steps to keep pests out. He says this also poses a problem for other businesses or homes in the area.
"In some situations, we don't have access to the area that may be causing the infestation," says Opal.
When it comes to sanitation, pest control worker Carol Watt knows all too well what Opal is dealing with.
Watt says there are some customers who don't want to have anything to do with the problem -- they just want her to come in and spray every six months.
"There's one restaurant I do where they just sweep food under the refrigeration units, and then wonder why they have a pest problem," says Watt.
Watt is proud to be part of the new breed of pest control workers who consider all the options before they get out the chemicals. She also says knowing the enemy is an important part of the job.
"Whenever I can, I read up on entomology [the study of insects] to understand what I'm dealing with."
Watt likes to think of chemical treatments as a last resort. She tries to use integrated pest management whenever she can.
"I'd say 80 percent of most pest problems can be controlled with proper sanitation techniques and other, more creative measures -- like sealing off water supply and food supply to insects and rodents," says Watt.
She agrees the image of pest control workers has undergone a big improvement since she started seven years ago. Watt feels every day she's on the job is an opportunity to challenge people's stereotypes about her profession.
"It's great. A customer opens their door and not only do they see a woman, they also see a clean-cut, professional looking person.
"I think we all have a part to play in improving both the practices and the image of the pest control industry," says Watt.