Strategic mosquito management: Labor and expectations

Effective strategic mosquito management is an ongoing system rather than a temporary fix. For pest management professionals (PMPs), the challenges of weather and pest biology are significant, but they can be conquered through creative staffing, precise scheduling and diligent customer education.

Key takeaways

Creative staffing: Utilizing local college students for seasonal help can reduce the workload on full-time employees and create a pipeline for future hires.

“Sky Aware” scheduling: Monitoring 10-day forecasts and using weather apps in the field prevents ineffective treatments and unnecessary return trips.

Proactive education: Setting clear expectations regarding “total elimination” and identifying breeding sites like flowerpot saucers is essential for long-term customer satisfaction.

Solving the labor puzzle

As mosquito services add to a technician’s packed workload, some companies are getting creative with staffing. Clint Collins of HTP Termite and Pest Control has found success by turning to local colleges and universities for summer help.

Clint Collins

HTP Termite and Pest Control

“These student workers often return each summer and sometimes transition into full-time roles after graduation. Providing jobs to students takes a load off our full-time employees,” Collins says. “The greatest benefit is they tend to return each summer while in school and have even turned into full-time employees after they complete their studies.”

The “Sky Aware” approach to scheduling

Weather is a primary disruptor, with rain creating breeding sites and forcing compressed service windows. Megan Wede of Done Right Pest Solutions describes her staff as “sky aware,” meaning office employees use 10-day forecasts to pick the best service days, while technicians use smartphone apps to track pop-up storms.

Megan Wede

Done Right Pest Solutions

“I would rather make a phone call to the customer and explain that it looks like rain is headed their way due to dark clouds and ask to reschedule, than have the technician treat and need to come back three to five days later due to mosquito breeding and ineffective service.”

Managing customer expectations

One of the biggest hurdles is convincing customers that 100 percent elimination is impossible. Factors like a neighbor’s untreated yard or proximity to nature preserves are beyond a PMP’s control. Megan Wede emphasizes setting clear expectations over phone, text, or email so the customer remains satisfied when the service is completed as described.

“We never claim to be able to get rid of 100 percent of mosquitoes in a yard; that would be absurd,” Wede says. “We cannot ensure their neighbor has mosquito control, or eliminate extenuating circumstances such as proximity to water, nature preserves, pollinator gardens or other areas that are not treated for mosquitoes.”

Education as a performance tool

Education is a critical component of the service. Fred Willey, ACE, notes that customers are often surprised by how little water—found in fountains, green swimming pools, or even flowerpot saucers — is needed for mosquitoes to thrive. By teaching homeowners to keep a manicured yard and eliminate hidden breeding sources, PMPs can more effectively reduce populations.

Fred Wiley, ACE

Done Right Pest Solutions

“Notoriously, there are lots of swimming pools that have not been cared for and have turned green with algae,” he says, adding, “they always are next door to the customer.”

Ultimately, successful firms approach mosquito management as a measurable service. By documenting detailed notes and tracking activity over time, PMPs can fine-tune their treatments based on environmental pressure and specific client feedback.

How has your team’s approach to customer education changed your callback rates this season?

This article is part of our 2026 Mosquito Management Supplement. For more overviews of market growth and seasonal value, visit: