CLEVELAND – Ant control remains a staple service offering among pest management professionals. According to the 2023 State of the Ant Control Market, sponsored by Syngenta, 56 percent of PMPs said ant control accounts for a more significant portion on their business.
But the ant control market is not without its challenges, including low-ball competitors. According to the most recent PCT Reader Poll, 63 percent of respondents said “low ball” competitors presented the biggest challenge when it comes to growing their ant control business. Twenty-nine percent cited the labor shortage, six percent cited low ant pressure and another three percent said COVID-19 pandemic.
Jeromy Smith, owner of Integrated Pest Management, Lafayette, Ind., cited low-ball competitors as his company’s biggest challenge when it comes to the ant market.
“The industry has a problem with continually going cheaper against cheaper against cheaper,” he said. “I don’t know why everyone wants to beat each others' prices. We are tradesmen and deserve to be paid and taken care of well, just like plumbers, electricians and other highly skilled, trained professionals.”
Del Lawson, vice president, Modern Pest Control, Katy, Texas, said, “It’s more the landscape companies and lawn mowing companies that do ant services for 'free.' We have a lot of that in our area.”
Otherwise, ant services have “increased slightly” for Modern Pest Control. “The main reason,” Lawson said, “is that we are training our staff to be more proactive when it comes to ants. Having them notify the office so the sales team can contact the customers and give them our options for ant services.”
Jim Harmon, president of California Pest Management, La Verne, Calif., said the ant market in his region is changing. “Fire ants are making a comeback. Rover ants are really coming on strong, but Argentine ants are down a bit.”