Adding Termite or Wildlife Services: Is Specialty Work Worth It for Solo Operators?

At some point, every solo pest control operator looks at their revenue and wonders: Could I make more money offering termite treatments, wildlife removal, or other specialty services?

The appeal is obvious. General pest control is competitive, and pricing pressure is real. Meanwhile, a single termite treatment can bill $1,500–$3,000. A raccoon removal job might run $300–$800. Bed bug heat treatments can command $1,000–$2,500 per unit. These are significantly higher ticket prices than a $150 quarterly spray.

But higher revenue per job doesn't automatically mean higher profit. Specialty services come with real costs, risks, and complexity that general pest control doesn't.

The question isn't whether specialty work pays well—it's whether it pays well enough to justify what it demands from a solo operation.

The Appeal of Specialty Services

Let's break down the most common specialty services solo operators consider adding, along with what each actually requires.

The Major Specialty Categories

Termite Control

Termite work is the most common specialty for pest control operators to add, and for good reason. Termites are everywhere, the work is relatively predictable, and the revenue per job is high.

What it requires:
In most states, termite work requires a separate license category or endorsement beyond your general pest control license. You'll need to study for and pass an additional exam. The training and testing typically takes 2–4 months depending on your state's requirements.

Equipment costs vary significantly based on the treatment type. Liquid barrier treatments (termiticides like Taurus or Termidor) require a treatment rig with a large tank, pump, and injection equipment—expect $2,000–$5,000 to set up. Bait station systems like Sentricon or Trelona have lower upfront equipment costs but require ongoing monitoring visits and station purchases.

The profit reality:
Liquid termite treatments are high-revenue, high-margin jobs. A treatment that takes 4–6 hours and bills at $1,500–$2,500 is excellent money for a day's work.

However, the liability is also high—if your treatment fails and the home sustains termite damage, you may be on the hook for repairs. Robust insurance coverage is essential, and your premiums will increase when you add termite work.

Termite inspections (WDI reports for real estate transactions) are a lower-risk entry point. They typically pay $75–$150 for 30–45 minutes of work and don't require treatment equipment. Many solo operators start here to build termite expertise before offering full treatments.

Wildlife and Animal Removal

Wildlife removal—raccoons, squirrels, opossums, bats, birds, snakes—is a growing market as suburban development pushes wildlife into closer contact with homes.

What it requires:
Licensing varies dramatically by state. Some states require a separate wildlife control operator license. Others regulate it under your existing pest control license. A few require specific permits for certain species. Research your state's requirements thoroughly before investing.

Equipment needs include live traps in multiple sizes, exclusion materials (hardware cloth, sealants, one-way doors), ladders and roof access equipment, protective gear, and a vehicle setup for transporting live animals. Initial equipment investment is typically $1,000–$3,000.

You'll also need to understand local and state regulations around trapping, relocation, and euthanasia. These rules are specific and enforced. Violating wildlife regulations can mean fines, license revocation, and legal liability.

The profit reality:
Wildlife work has excellent margins when it goes smoothly. A squirrel exclusion job might bill $400–$800 and take 2–3 hours. Bat exclusion work (which often must be done seasonally due to maternity colony restrictions) can command $1,500–$5,000 for a residential job.

The downside is unpredictability. Wildlife jobs are harder to estimate, take longer than expected more often, and involve more callbacks. Animals don't always cooperate with your timeline.

You may also face emotional customers, injured animals, and situations that are genuinely unpleasant. It's not for everyone.

Bed Bug Treatments

Bed bugs continue to be a high-demand service with premium pricing. Solo operators who can offer effective bed bug treatments have a significant revenue opportunity.

What it requires:
The two main approaches are chemical treatment (multiple visits over 2–4 weeks) and heat treatment (single visit, more equipment-intensive).

Chemical bed bug treatments don't require much beyond your existing equipment—mainly specialized products, dusters, and mattress encasements. The cost of entry is low, but the service model requires multiple return visits, which eats into your schedule.

Heat treatment requires a significant equipment investment: commercial heaters, fans, temperature monitoring equipment, and generators if needed. A quality heat treatment setup runs $10,000–$25,000. However, heat treatments are single-visit (usually 6–8 hours), which is more efficient from a scheduling standpoint, and customers strongly prefer the one-and-done approach.

The profit reality:
Bed bug work pays well regardless of treatment method. Chemical treatments typically bill $500–$1,500 per unit (depending on your market and the severity). Heat treatments command $1,000–$2,500 per unit.

However, bed bug customers are often distressed, demanding, and highly sensitive to any sign of treatment failure. The callback and complaint rate is higher than general pest control, and reputation damage from a bad bed bug experience can be outsized.

Mosquito and Tick Yard Treatments

This is arguably the easiest specialty to add because it requires minimal additional licensing, equipment, or training.

What it requires:
In most states, mosquito and tick treatments fall under your existing pest control license. Equipment needs are modest—a backpack mist blower ($300–$600) and appropriate products. Many operators already have this equipment.

The profit reality:
Individual mosquito treatments are low-ticket ($75–$150 per visit) but sell well as seasonal recurring packages ($400–$800 for monthly treatment April through October). They're fast (20–30 minutes per property), easy to add onto existing service routes, and have strong upsell potential with your current customer base.

The margins are solid because the service is quick and the products are inexpensive. The main limitation is seasonality—this is a spring/summer revenue stream only in most markets.

How to Decide: The Decision Framework

Before adding any specialty service, run through these five questions:

1. Is there demand in your market?
Check what competitors are offering, search Google for the service in your area, and pay attention to what your existing customers ask about. If you're getting 2–3 termite or wildlife inquiries per month that you're turning away, that's a strong signal.

2. What's the licensing and training investment?
Some specialties require months of additional study and testing. Others are nearly plug-and-play. Map out exactly what your state requires and how long it will take to get compliant.

3. What's the equipment investment, and when does it pay back?
Calculate your upfront costs and divide by your expected average job revenue. How many jobs do you need to break even? If it's 3–5 jobs, the risk is low. If it's 50+ jobs, think carefully.

4. Does it fit your schedule and operations?
A termite treatment that takes a full day means giving up 6–8 general pest control appointments. Is the termite job revenue higher than what you'd earn from those appointments? Wildlife work is unpredictable and can blow up a carefully planned route day. How will you handle that?

5. Does it fit your risk tolerance and personality?
Wildlife work involves unpredictable situations and sometimes dangerous animals. Termite work carries liability for structural damage. Bed bug work involves emotionally charged customers. Not every specialty fits every operator, and that's fine.

The Staged Approach: How to Test Before You Commit

You don't have to go all-in on a specialty overnight. Here's a lower-risk way to test whether specialty work is right for your business:

Stage 1: Referral partnerships.
Partner with a specialty operator in your area. When customers ask about termite or wildlife services, refer them out and negotiate a referral fee (typically 10–15% of the job). This costs you nothing, generates some revenue, and helps you gauge demand.

Stage 2: Inspections only.
For termite work specifically, start by offering inspections and WDI reports. The licensing requirement is usually the same, but the equipment investment and liability are much lower. This builds your termite knowledge and customer base before you invest in treatment equipment.

Stage 3: Selective full service.
Once you're confident in demand and your capabilities, start taking on full treatments selectively. Don't try to serve every request—cherry-pick the jobs that are in your service area, fit your schedule, and match your experience level.

Stage 4: Full integration.
If the specialty is working well after 6–12 months, invest in better equipment, develop your marketing around it, and make it a core part of your service offering.

The Bottom Line

Adding specialty services can significantly increase your revenue and differentiate you from competitors. But it's a business decision that should be driven by market demand, financial analysis, and honest self-assessment—not just the appeal of higher ticket prices.

The solo operators who succeed with specialty work are the ones who add it strategically, invest in proper training and equipment, and integrate it into their existing operations without letting it disrupt what's already working.

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