News

When Ben West graduated with a degree in forensic science from Abertay, he did not expect he would be making a living dealing with pest infestations.

But Brechin’s Pest King has not looked back, and after five years learning the industry he now enjoys the freedom brought from running his own company.

Joined by canine colleague Loki, Ben works across Tayside, Fife and Aberdeen dealing with rats, mice, birds and bedbugs.

And no two days are the same, he said, with each new job bringing challenges – be that clearing wasps from an attic, rats from pipework or bedbugs from furniture.

Ben had not started his working life planning on a career in pest control.

“I graduated from Abertay University with a degree in forensic sciences, and I ended up getting a job with a nationwide pest control company, which was somewhat of an unexpected career path,” he said.

“I gained hands-on experience in roles such as a technician, surveyor, all the way up to account management.

“And with the extensive knowledge gained from those roles, I decided to start my own business.

“I’ve been in the industry for over five-and-a-half years now, and Pest King has been running for just coming up for six months.

“And it’s been a great success thus far.

“We do all aspects of pest control.  We cover the likes of rodent control, bird control, insect control – which includes fleas, bedbugs, things like that.

“As well as doing other things like loft clearances and things like that for commercial and residential properties.

“So we do a lot of work for the commercial and residential side of things, and we’re very busy at the moment.”

The pest control business is booming, Ben says.

Cuts to the cleansing services across council areas has seen a surge in call-outs for rat and mice infestations.

Ben said he is proud of the work he carries out, and has received more than 50 five-star reviews in just six months.

“Pets are more prominent than they’ve ever been, there are many factors contributing towards this,” he said.

“Council cuts will inevitably be one of them; however, it isn’t solely responsible.

“And the demand for rodent services especially, is higher than ever.

“There’s a lot of rodent issues going about and a lot larger infestations as well, especially in city centres.

“As a repercussion of that they start to move into residential and commercial properties.  And it spirals from there.

“So it’s really important they get on top of those infestations, and get professionals in to deal with that issue to nip it in the bud before it escalates.

“And while council cuts may have reduced pest control services, leading to slower responses to infestations, it is just one factor among many.

“Addressing any pest issues effectively requires a combination of environmental management, improved waste disposal and targeted pest control strategies.”

This article appeared in The Courier on 6 March 2025.