Minneapolis, Minn.-based Plunkett’s Pest Control partnered with Dr. David Davies, an anthropology professor at St. Paul, Minn.-based Hamline University, on a field study exploring the complex relationship between people, pests and the environments they share.
Dr. Davies conducted ethnographic research by training and working alongside pest control professionals at Plunkett’s, earning his technician license and participating in active fieldwork.
“Two years ago, I had a mouse in my office,” said Davies. “I called an exterminator and realized — that’s the person I need to talk to. That’s where this project really began.”
Dr. Davies specializes in participant observation and was seeking a way to directly study human interaction with “non-human cohabitants” in built environments.
“We were excited to support Dr. Davies’ research,” said Aly Silva Mulgrew, president of Plunkett’s Pest Control. “His project aligns with how we view our work — where science, culture and daily life intersect. It’s not just about removing pests, it’s about understanding the environments where people live and work and the role pests play within them.”
Dr. Davies’ research focused on three interconnected areas:
- Built environments
- The creatures that seek to inhabit them
- The professionals tasked with resolving those conflicts.
“This research lies at the intersection of people and environment,” Dr.Davies said. “It’s helped me develop new course material, including a digital anthropology project involving an artificial intelligence cockroach, and it’s deepened my understanding of fear, disgust and social structures.”
For Plunkett’s, the collaboration provided a unique lens through which to view its century-old mission.
“At Plunkett’s, we’ve always believed our work is about more than pests—it’s about people, their spaces, and their peace of mind,” said Mulgrew. “This partnership reaffirmed that belief in a meaningful and thoughtful way.”
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