Last fall, Eric “Critter” McCool, who currently holds world records for removing the largest yellowjacket nest and largest bee honeycomb, held a soft open of the nation’s first dedicated pest management museum.
Based in Franklin, Pa., McCool’s Pest Control Museum displays a large collection of pest management products and tools that represent 150 years of the industry’s heritage. Although McCool is owner of Critter McCool Management in Erie, Pa., the museum’s collection also includes a broad array of sprayers, mouse traps, fly swatters, packaged products and more.
-
- The museum officially opened for daily business March 1. Photo provided by McCool’s Pest Control Museum
-
- The museum is the first of a three-phase project for the location. Next will come the Stinging Insect Research and Training Center, an international training facility geared to product testing, venom collection, and pesticide research and development. Phase three of the project will be McCool’s onsite corporate facility and retail storefront. Photo provided by McCool’s Pest Control Museum
-
- “I’m proud to work in this industry, but I think pest control sometimes gets a bad reputation by the public because we do have products made from chemicals,” says McCool, whose displays represent nearly 30 years of collection and curation. “But we are a very responsible profession and one that has a long and storied history. I decided to create the pest control museum because our story should be known.” Photo provided by McCool’s Pest Control Museum
-
- Rows of sprayers, dusters and other industry products line the shelves of the museum. McCool is seeking product donations that represent the pest management industry’s history, as well as support for the museum. To learn more, check out the website, which also includes a link to a GoFundMe page. Photo provided by McCool’s Pest Control Museum
-
- From snail and slug pellets to bomb-like aerosols to even an early incarnation of a rodent control repellent unit (using radio waves — the “ByeByeRat” box, far right), McCool displays a variety of different industry products from past decades. Photo provided by McCool’s Pest Control Museum
Photos: McCool’s Pest Control Museum
Ed DeMask is president of DeMask Marketing, a Batavia, Ill.-based firm that specializes in the professional pest management industry. Contact him at ed@demaskmarketing.com.
Leave A Comment