Sources of Additional Information Significant Points Federal and State laws require licensure through training and examination. Because many people do not find pest control work appealing, those with the necessary skills and interests should have favorable job prospects. Unwanted creatures that infest households, buildings, or surrounding areas are pests that can pose serious risk to human health and safety. It is a pest controller's job to control them.
Pest controllers locate, identify, destroy, and repel pests.
The best known method of pest control is pesticide application. Restricted use pesticides are available only to certified professionals for controlling the most severe infestations. Pesticides are not pest controllers' only tool, however. Pest controllers increasingly use a combination of pest management techniques, known as integrated pest management. One method involves using proper sanitation and creating physical barriers, for pests cannot survive without food and will not infest a building if they cannot enter it.