In September 2014, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) received a call from a company near Reading, Pa. Employees had found a strange bug at the back of their property in a tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) grove. When the PDA inspectors arrived at the company, they saw gray-winged bugs about an inch long, covering the trunks of the Ailanthus... read more
Rentokil Steritech, a pest control company based in Reading, Pa., acquired the assets of Heron Home & Outdoor in Apopka, Fla. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Heron is No. 116 on the LM150 list of top revenue-generating firms with $14,347,321 in 2015 revenue. “We admire the growth-oriented nature of Rentokil Steritech and we couldn’t be more enthusiastic to... read more
Focus and a positive company culture drive business at Blades of Green. Brothers Mark Leahy and Brad Leahy, owners of Blades of Green in Edgewater, Md., talk a lot about company culture. It’s their primary focus these days, as they strive to grow their $5.3 million lawn care and pest control company by more than 15 percent per year. Ask... read more
Nobody likes to be called a fool, especially not Mark and Brad Leahy, owners of Edgewater, Md.-based Blades of Green. But that’s what happened when they attended a meeting for pest professionals held by Real Green Systems in early 2008. Veteran pest management professional Don Jamison told them, “You guys are damned fools if you don’t get into pest control.”... read more
In March, both houses of the Maryland legislature passed a bill to ban consumer use of neonicotinoids (neonics). As of this writing, the bill sits on Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s desk awaiting his signature. Gov. Hogan, a Republican, has not indicated whether he will sign the bill. Individuals permitted under the bill to use neonicotinoid-containing pesticides are licensed pesticide applicators... read more
One lazy move cost an ex-TruGreen employee his job and his former company a large chunk of change. In July, Weeki Wachee, Fla., homeowner Rich Kleber checked his video surveillance system to double check a trouble spot was being sprayed by a TruGreen pest control unit. He was surprised to see TruGreen employee Dean Schryer simply take one lap around... read more
