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Troubleshoot With Me (AKA: Lots of puzzle pieces)
One of the reasons I have the best job is that I get to troubleshoot. I get to try to put puzzles together, often without all the pieces. I tend to have a “standard” set of questions I start with to pry out additional information, and then I let my brain start working through the problem. I know that when a question gets to me, it’s likely the client has already tried all the “basic” IPM steps so it’s always exciting to start thinking about how to get creative with pest contr

Chelle Hartzer
Dec 16, 20254 min read


The Customer is Always Right (AKA: Sure....)
Sometimes pest problems are relatively easy to manage. One or two visits, some targeted treatments, sanitation, and exclusion recommendations, and presto! Problem solved! Then there are the times it isn’t so easy. Particularly when it seems the customer is working against you. The other day, I was at a location, let’s say it was a bookstore. (It wasn’t, I’m trying to protect the innocent here!) Now, as I was browsing through the bookstore, out of the corner of my eye, I saw

Chelle Hartzer
Nov 4, 20253 min read


Dangerous Alliens (AKA: The invasion continues)
I'm in Orlando this week at PestWorld so I'm super excited to see what's new and get to talk to everyone. Which brings up an interesting point. Is there anything new? Aside from a few new invasive insects which aren't necessarily structural pests (spotted lanternfly, spotted lady beetles, etc.) our pests haven't changed much. So here's a quick rundown of some history on our common pests. Starting with one of my favorites: cigarette beetles. These go back to ancient Egyptian

Chelle Hartzer
Oct 21, 20253 min read


Scrutinizing the Scene (AKA: Searching for food)
I’m inspecting a food facility this week and there’s always something interesting that you find. So this week, let’s talk about...

Chelle Hartzer
Oct 7, 20253 min read


Getting Bloody (AKA: Trying to get high)
I travel quite a bit, and I consider myself a frequent flier. I know how to navigate an airport, where to find the best food options, and...

Chelle Hartzer
Sep 23, 20253 min read


Buckle your seat belts (AKA: No snacks!)
I fly a lot for work and for fun. I’ve been flying since I was about three. Aside from being locked in a metal tube with 100 people you...

Chelle Hartzer
Jun 10, 20253 min read


Cooties (AKA: Fighting the bite)
The first full week of June is designated as “ Bed Bug Awareness Week ”. Are you excited?!?! Since the re-emergence of bed bugs in the US...

Chelle Hartzer
Jun 3, 20253 min read


Not My Fault! (AKA: Pointing fingers)
I was giving a webinar on rodents last week and someone asked a brilliant question: what can you do when the pest problem is coming from...

Chelle Hartzer
Apr 29, 20253 min read


Talk Dirty to Me (AKA: Filthy thoughts)
Pesticides often get a bad reputation, especially in the media, and can be viewed as “nasty chemicals” or “harmful” or even just “evil”....

Chelle Hartzer
Feb 11, 20253 min read


We Didn’t Start the Fire (AKA: Feeling the heat)
I do not live out west where the devastating fires are continuing, and that doesn’t mean I’m not impacted. All of us will be in some way...

Chelle Hartzer
Jan 14, 20253 min read


Nobody Told Me! (AKA: Stop it already)
I’ve been working on an article for a trade journal. It’s sort of a “your job/our job” for those who contract out their pest control...

Chelle Hartzer
Jan 7, 20254 min read


I Resolve To Be Just as Awesome (AKA: You're welcome)
Let’s take a look back and see what happened last year! Blogs: You folks really like the “ Science is always right ” blog talking about...

Chelle Hartzer
Jan 2, 20251 min read
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