History Channel: Modern Marvels - The Exterminator

They have been here for longer than us and there are many many more of them. They buzz skitter and fly chew gnaw and occasionally draw blood. Lumped under the broad category of pests and vermin they are one of the constant enemies in mans battle to maintain dominion over house and home. And the strongest weapon we have is THE EXTERMINATOR. MODERN MARVELS traces the evolution from the simple pest-control measures employed by ancient farmers to the high-tech arsenal of poisons baits and traps deployed by the Orkin Man and his colleagues today. This inside look at the multi-billion dollar pest-control industry includes flights with mosquito exterminators in Florida ride-alongs with cockroach killers in Los Angeles the city where these prehistoric survival specialists pose the greatest problem and an inside look at how the New York City Department of Health attempts to contain the rats that outnumber the citys 8 million human residents. The weapons in this war have become increasingly high tech and the foot soldier--the exterminator--has become ever more sophisticated and ecologically aware.