Pleasure Doing Business: The Bug Man

Rick McChesney opened “The Bug Man” extermination business 33 years ago out of his home and opened the retail location in Gulfport in 1991. Florida has always been a paradise for pests and McChesney enjoys a thriving business doing battle with them every day.

Originally from Knoxville, TN, McChesney has lived in St. Petersburg most of his life and as physically demanding as the job can be, he maintains a sense of humor and is as much into educating clients as he is doing the job himself.

The “Bug Man” sign in front of his store is ingrained into the memories of passersby on Gulfport Blvd. and to those who have never stopped, the tiny showroom offers a bit of education with a display of all insects known to infiltrate local homes. He also sells all of the hypoallergenic chemicals he uses to rid homes of pests.

He got started in the business by accident, he says with a laugh. “I was a jet mechanic. The company lost their government contract, I got laid off, took a part-time job with an exterminating company and the part-time job turned out to be 70 hours a week. I never had time to look for another job, got licensed through them and ended up starting my own business five years later.”

He says infestations come and go in phases.

“Fleas seemed to be bad for a few years then they're knocked out and something takes their place. Rats are a big problem right now. They're getting into more attics. The more populated an area is the easier the rats are able to thrive.”

He warns a full-grown rat can squeeze through a ½ inch space and that prevention is the best measure, properly sealing all openings. They typically climb the home's utility wires and sneak in from the roof.

The plan of attack is to catch and remove without leaving dead carcasses and seal off the access points.

McChesney will provide regular maintenance to prevent such unwanted guests and offers free estimates beforehand.

Termites are a constant problem and the wood frame homes in Gulfport harbor plenty of places to hide. He says locally they've been doing less swarming in recent years – citing a University of Florida study – but that just as much activity and damage is taking place.

Are roaches indestructible?

“They're able to evolve,” he offers. “The palmetto bug or the American roach, twenty years ago, didn't fly. More and more they kind of flutter and half-fly but we never used to see that.”

He explains it's now their way of getting around poisons and sprays, that the German roach has the ability to sense insecticide and walk around it rather than through it. As they've evolved he has resorted to baiting rather than spraying.

“Over the years the treatment methods and services have evolved to more natural, safer and longer-lasting [products],” he says. “When I first started in business we used DDT and a lot of things that have [since] been outlawed.”

He rattled off a few other products that are no longer used and assures the new chemicals are safer and more effective.

“The chemical manufacturers are working on the DNA of insects using insecticides that biologically affect them while not affecting people.”

Does he enjoy the work?

“Love it. I couldn't imagine myself doing anything else,” he assures. He works about 60 hours each week and has three employees including his son, Joe, one of seven he and his wife, Mary-Pat, have raised.

McChesney is a member of both the Florida and the National Pest Management Association. He is also a past president of the Gulfport Chamber of Commerce and still sits on its board of directors. He's always been a visible presence in town and speaks warmly of the people and the city of Gulfport.

Asked if an unlicensed exterminator can do harm he quickly assures so.

“Typically the unlicensed people don't have the training to know what they're doing but safety is the biggest concern with unlicensed operators.” He is required to take continuing education each year to keep his licenses current and is regulated by the Florida Department of Agriculture.

The hardest part of the job, he says, is getting under homes, in crawl spaces and suffering hot attics in the summer. Still, he's happy doing battle with the invaders every day and plans to keep up a good fight. He has more than 3,000 loyal customers including the first two from 1978. Most have been with him for 5 to 20 years.

Reach The Bug Man at 727-323-4008, through the Bug Man-U-Do-It Pest Control Supplies web site or Facebook page.