NEW ORLEANS — The thought of 800 cockroaches - or worse 35,000 German roaches - crawling around your home is enough to make even the toughest of us scream.
But there is hope. Just ask customers of Pestop in Metairie, La.
Bug guru Lee Wear has been running the business for years. His displays of bugs help customers identify their problems. He has everything from roaches to the sneakiest of critters.
"What you see in plastic, that's what people bring to me. We have to identify what they're dealing with so we can do down the right path," Wear says.
Ware has a wide range of remedies to stop pests. For example, the number one thing he says is vital to knocking out a roach problem is cutting off their water supply.
"They eat each other, and they have warm places to live, but they need water," Wear says. "That's why you usually see them in the sinks. They're not coming out of the sink, they're going in to get a drink."
Of course, he says some pesticides work too. But he says his business is more than just selling products - he wants to help people.
"I deal with people on a personal basis. It's not really the issue, it's helping the person get through the issue," Wear said. “I’m here for advice. I’m here to guide people and help them get through their situations. Especially, the psychological side like something being in bed with your child or something traumatic.”
And his clients agree. They walk away with information, and maybe a joke or two.
“I came in here about two and a half years ago with a little bitty doodlebug crawling across my glass top stove. I put it in a little bottle and brought it here and he knew exactly what it was. It’s called a pharmacy beetle,” one customer said. "The man is extremely knowledgeable and I trust his opinion because it’s always proved right.”
Fore Ware, his bug expertise is just a part of his purpose - making a difference in people's lives.
“When somebody comes in and says they have roaches, I could jokingly say, ‘How many roaches does it take to screw in a lightbulb?’ I don’t know because they all ran when I turned the light on,'” Wear said.
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WWL-TV reporter Meghan Kee can be reached at mkee@wwltv.com;