Provisions: Wondercide



Wondercide

Category: Pest control

Founder: Stephanie Boone

Founded: 2009

Location: Austin, Texas

Representative products: Peppermint Insect Repellant, Fruit Fly Trap, Flea & Tick Collar for Dogs

At a glance:

  • Boone was inspired to found the company after her dog Luna became ill from chemicals in conventional flea and tick repellent.
  • Boone quit her job as a real estate tax consultant and started the business on a $6,000 credit card. She has said that she learned everything about the business as she went: "I had no experience with chemistry, product development, regulatory compliance or strategic business planning."
  • Boone got the call to be on "Shark Tank" the same day Luna died. Although appearing on the show led to greater exposure for Wondercide, Boone ultimately decided to turn down the deal offered her by panelist Lori Greiner.

The story:

In 2008, Stephanie Boone’s beloved dog Luna began losing her hair in patches to reveal open sores. Luna’s teeth chattered, and this, combined with her lethargy and blood testing, indicated that her internal organs were failing. Boone, a native of Austin, Texas, was heartbroken, and like any devoted custodian of a precious animal, disappeared down every rabbit hole she could find in search of an answer.

A holistic vet revealed to Boone that the products she was putting on and around Luna included ingredients that can cause systemic neurological side effects in some pets and people. Like millions of Americans, Stephanie thought she was keeping her family safe by using the most commonly recommended solutions. Living in Austin, where the only thing more oppressive than the heat is the pests, Boone resolved to find a new way to manage bugs in and around her lawn, her home, and her beloved Luna.

Deep in the annals of the EPA’s guidance for pest control, she discovered that the FIFRA 25b list, a small list of ingredients that are considered to pose the most minimal risk to health and environment, was where cedarwood oil was mentioned. Boone had an “aha!” moment. A long time beforehand, Boone’s grandmother had given her a cedar chest to protect her treasured family history. She thought, “If cedar has been used for centuries to protect the things we love from bugs, could another form of cedarwood be used to protect the living things we love?”

Wondercide was born, and Stephanie says she found her life's purpose: to innovate pest protection so that, when used as directed, it is actually as safe as it is effective.

In the summertime, I keep fresh fruit within reach as much as I can for my family. In the North Carolina heat, and with our kids frequently opening and shutting the porch door, we can start to see develop a bug problem quickly. Wondercide is an excellent product that I use on all my counters after I clean them at night. We even spray it on the floor and in the corners of the room before Swiffering. It smells incredibly fresh and is safe for kids and kittens alike.

Boone ended up taking her business to Shark Tank, where three of the "sharks" made her an offer. Her thriving business is an example of classic American ingenuity and loving devotion to plants and animals. Offering flea and tick spray, mosquito yard spray, and an indoor flying insect trap in addition to the original indoor pest control, Boone offers everything a homeowner needs to live in peace with their critters this summer — made in America with an incredibly reliable standard of care and customer service.

America in Name Only | 6/15/22

America in Name Only | 6/15/22

A North Carolina pest control company will pay you $2,000 to let 100 cockroaches into your home



Would you like to live with cockroaches? If so, then one North Carolina pest control company may just have the deal for you!

The Pest Informer, a Raleigh-based company, is offering homeowners $2,000 to allow about 100 American cockroaches into their home for a pest control treatment study.

"As technology advances, we're always looking for the newest and greatest ways to get rid of pests (cockroaches specifically)," The Pest Informer said in an advertisement for the study.

The company explained it is looking for 5-7 home-owning volunteers to "test out a specific pest control technique." Those who sign up for the study would be paid to admit hundreds of disgusting new tenets into their homes for a period of 30 days. The Pest Informer will then use its new technique to attempt to eradicate the roaches and "gauge how effective this treatment is."

David Floyd, founder of The Pest Informer, told NBC News Monday that the company has received more than 2,200 applications for the study.

Participants would be required to allow The Pest Informer to film the treatment and are not permitted to use any other cockroach treatments for the duration of the study. Applicants must be at least 21 years or older and must either own the home or have written permission from the owner.

If the new pest control treatment doesn't work, the company is offering to get rid of the cockroaches using traditional methods at no additional cost.

Floyd said there are about 10 new treatments he wants to try, which "are designed to be more DIY treatments with materials and ingredients that someone can purchase themselves and that are safe to family and pets."

American cockroaches are the largest of the house-infesting roach species in the United States, growing as big as 3 inches long, or about the size of a human thumb. They have wings and can fly, but do so rarely. They are commonly called water bugs and sometimes misidentified as palmetto bugs.

This cockroach species is commonly found in basements, crawl spaces, and any warm damp areas, according to Orkin. While they prefer to live outdoors, they can enter homes in search of food and water and are commonly found in kitchens and bathrooms.

Fortunately, American cockroaches reproduce at slower rates than other cockroach species, but a female will still lay about 16 eggs in a protective capsule.

Unfortunately, they are a major pest. Their odorous secretions can alter the taste of food in the home and they can pick up and spread disease-causing bacteria.

To prevent a cockroach infestation, The Pest Informer says homeowners should use caulk to seal any and all cracks and crevices around cabinets, sinks, countertops, baseboards, and anywhere else roaches may enter the home. Clean frequently, and eliminate clutter around the home to deprive roaches of a place to breed and live.

When an infestation does occur, pest control services will typically use traps or poison bait to get rid of the infestation.