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Franchise Opportunity Deep Dive: A three-in-one home-based franchise model offering mosquito control, pest control, and holiday lighting services year-round.
Pest Hunters-Mosquito Hunters-Holiday Humbug Lighting (Hunters-Humbug) is a growing pest control and holiday lighting franchise touting an entirely mobile, home-based business model that requires no traditional brick-and-mortar office space, helping keep overhead low. The brand was founded by Andy Fuller in 2014, when he began looking for a way out of the corporate world. It began franchising in 2015, and today, there are more than 140 locations in the United States.
Mission: To help communities enjoy outdoor spaces safely and beautifully by offering expert pest control and holiday lighting services.
Vision: The Hunters-Humbug vision is one of growth, partnering with fellow Happinest brand Lawn Doctor* to expedite growth by leveraging a seasoned corporate team and advanced data analytics.
Hunters-Humbug is expanding nationwide, with franchise opportunities available in high-demand markets across the U.S. Current target areas include Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
Initial Costs: The estimated initial investment required to begin operation of a Hunters-Humbug franchise ranges from $117,570 to $139,743. The 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) breaks these costs down as follows:
| Type of Expenditure | Min | Max |
| Initial License Fee | $50,000 | $50,000 |
| Training and Support Fee | $7,500 | $7,500 |
| Grand Opening Marketing Package | $20,000 | $20,000 |
| Equipment Package Fee | $3,000 | $3,000 |
| Sales Support Resources | $200 | $450 |
| Vehicle Tracking and Telematics | $50 | $100 |
| Technology Fee | $150 | $150 |
| Service Vehicle Deposit | $8,350 | $16,700 |
| Service Vehicle Lease Payment | $1,200 | $1,525 |
| Computer Software | $415 | $656 |
| Computer Hardware | $0 | $2,000 |
| Opening Mosquito & Pest Control Inventory | $500 | $1,000 |
| Holiday Lighting Start-Up Inventory Package | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| Holiday Lighting Start-Up Equipment Package (Tools, Ladders, Safety Equipment, etc.) | $2,400 | $2,800 |
| Uniforms | $250 | $600 |
| Rental Space | $0 | $1,000 |
| Bookkeeper | $325 | $400 |
| Training and Travel Expenses | $2,500 | $4,000 |
| Insurance | $850 | $1,500 |
| Additional Funds – 3 Months | $14,880 | $21,362 |
Initial Franchise Fee: According to the 2026 FDD, the initial franchise fee for a Hunters-Humbug franchise is $50,000, due in full upon signing the franchise agreement.
Ongoing Fees: According to the 2026 FDD, Hunters-Humbug franchisees are responsible for the following ongoing payments and fees:
| Type of Fee | Amount |
| Royalty & Service Fee | 10% of net revenues/week |
| Technology Fee | $150 - $250/month |
| Out-of-Territory Royalty Fee | 15% of net revenues earned outside of assigned territory/week |
| Local Marketing Requirement | $8,000/year |
| Centrally Managed Media Fund Contributions | Greater of $30,000 or 5% of net revenues/year, paid monthly |
| National Marketing Fund | Greater of $5,000 or 2% of net revenues/year, paid weekly |
ROI Potential: In its 2026 FDD, Hunters-Humbug discloses average program value for both mosquito and non-mosquito treatments by region. It also provides data regarding holiday lighting installation revenue. All of this data is based on franchisee reporting for the 2025 calendar year.
Mosquito-Only Treatment Value During 2025
| Average Mosquito Customer Program Value | Median Mosquito Customer Program Value | High Mosquito Customer Program Value | Low Mosquito Customer Program Value | |
| Region 1 | $828.75 | $809.91 | $17,955.00 | $75.00 |
| Region 2 | $848.85 | $799.50 | $15,960.00 | $59.00 |
| Region 3 | $864.35 | $839.94 | $4,200.00 | $10.00 |
| Region 4 | $1,431.51 | $1,296.00 | $18,000.00 | $73.00 |
Non-Mosquito Treatment Value During 2025
| Average Value of Non-Mosquito Treatments | Median Value of Non-Mosquito Treatments | High Value of Non-Mosquito Treatments | Low Value of Non-Mosquito Treatments | |
| Region 1 | $419.26 | $316.00 | $3,380.00 | $50.00 |
| Region 2 | $447.07 | $295.00 | $10,715.00 | $15.00 |
| Region 3 | $437.14 | $350.00 | $2,313.90 | $32.50 |
| Region 4 | $593.37 | $498.00 | $5,926.00 | $30.00 |
Humbug Holiday Lighting Installations During 2025
| Revenue Per Customer | Revenue Per Franchise | |
| Average | $1,555.06 | $95,296.27 |
| Median | $1,454.87 | $62,161.96 |
| High | $3,185.56 | $551,102.26 |
| Low | $621.08 | $20,045.51 |
Hunters-Humbug provides guidance to prepare franchisees for launch, including site/territory assistance. While the business is typically home-based, the franchisor also offers standards for any necessary rental or storage space and provides detailed specifications for essential signs, opening inventory and other supplies. A list of approved suppliers and help with the initial setup of bookkeeping systems is also provided.
New owners must complete a mandatory initial training program that includes approximately 35 hours of classroom and on-site instruction at the corporate headquarters and nearby facilities. Additional regional trainings are available throughout the year for further growth.
Hunters-Humbug offers a scalable model supported by a team of tenured Business Coaches and an expert operations team who support owners and their local teams on an ongoing basis. With a 25-plus-year industry veteran as Director of Operations, Hunters-Humbug provides franchisees the guidance they need to ramp quickly and efficiently.
Franchisees are provided with specialized computer software programs tailored for the management of both pest control and holiday lighting operations. The franchisor also provides an extranet system for real-time access to updated standards, marketing materials and proprietary procedures. Field operations are facilitated by specialized equipment such as mist blowers and the proprietary Smart Repellent System, which is required to deliver the brand's treatment solutions.
Hunters-Humbug requires $60,000 in liquid assets and a minimum net worth of $200,000.
The brand is looking for franchisees with strong people skills and a track record of leadership and sales, traits that help build customer relationships and manage teams. While prior pest control experience isn’t required, successful owners typically bring management experience, a strong work ethic and the ability to execute proven business systems. The brand values franchisees who can engage with their local community, drive growth through service quality and lead employees effectively as the business scales.
Running a Hunters-Humbug franchise requires day-to-day operational oversight and active local relationship-building. Owners often meet with technicians at the start of the day to confirm trucks are stocked with products, paperwork and supplies, handle scheduling through the brand’s proprietary software, and stay responsive to customer calls and emails. Local networking is also part of the job, including community and business events that help drive referrals and visibility.
Semi-absentee ownership can work with the right structure, but it is not hands-off. In a semi-absentee setup, owners typically hire a manager to handle daily operations while the owner remains accountable for the business and stays engaged in key relationships with customers, employees, vendors and the local community.
Hunters-Humbug does not provide direct or indirect financing for franchisees.
“We live in our backyard. And we always used the service for the last five years. Joining up with Mosquito Hunters, it felt almost at home with this family-oriented business structure. They gave us a lot of support. It’s very team-oriented. It’s pretty simple in my eyes: it’s following the model. At the end of the day, the most important thing for us is time with our family. And, with Hunters-Humbug, it just makes our lives easier.”
- Josh Corle, Franchise Owner — Jersey Shore, New Jersey
“I liked having my hands on the steering wheel. I liked getting in the weeds with my team. I liked getting in the weeds with my team. I liked operating uh a business and being able to make an impact in my business in the really short term and make quick decisions and see results happen. So with that, I started a little bit of a journey. Do I want to start a business from scratch? Do I want to buy a franchise? Do I want to jump back into the corporate environment again? I did that discovery process. What I found was a cheat code. And that cheat code, for me, was franchising. You have a great group of people behind you. You have a great brand. You don't have to build and develop every single system, but at the same time, you have the flexibility to be your own boss, to run your own business, and to chart your destiny and your course in the business that you have.”
- Matt Rearden, Franchise Owner — Central Florida
“It's not like I was a little girl and wanted to be in pest control when I grew up. It's just that I really like the business model. When I looked into the numbers and looked in the books I thought it was really interesting and the model behind it. But, from 7 years ago to now, it's very different and it's a lot better now, when you look at the model, than it even was back when I looked at it seven or eight years ago.”
- Mary Guarino, Franchise Owner — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
“I retired from the Marine Corps in 2021. I was looking for something to do after the Marine Corps and one of my buddies was getting into franchising. I found out about Hunters-Humbug and started looking into it. Never thought that franchising would be something for me, but I never close the door on an opportunity. Next thing you know, I started going down the path of talking to a franchise consultant and working with franchise developers, and I never looked back. Four or so years later and I’m loving it.”
- Josh Ambrose, Franchise Owner — Jacksonville and Saint Augustine, Florida
“You start off with a community with franchising, and you have lots of support. It was way more about the business model and the marketing support and the marketing excellence that Hunters-Humbug was going to bring to my business to help fuel the growth that I wanted. I had no pest control background; it was purely a decision based on “Is this a viable business? Can I see myself? The effort that I put into it, will it grow? And the answer is yes. So, here I am.”
- Hamdi Sherif, Franchise Owner
The U.S. pest control market is valued at $29.7 billion. The industry has been expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 3.4% in recent years and is expected to maintain a steady growth pattern. Driving this growth is an increasing awareness of vector-borne diseases (ticks/mosquitoes), increased time spent on home improvement/outdoor living and the impact of climate change on longer pest seasons. Growing demand for eco-friendly, non-toxic and biological control solutions also plays a role.
Overall, the pest control services sector presents promising opportunities for growth and investment, driven by increasing demand for quality and innovation.
Hunters-Humbug distinguishes itself through a proprietary service model that combines mosquito control, indoor and outdoor pest control and holiday lighting to provide an additional recurring revenue stream.
In terms of competition, Hunters-Humbug faces several notable players in the pest control services realm, including Mosquito Squad, Mosquito Joe, MosquitoNix, Mosquito Authority, Orkin and Terminix. However, Hunters-Humbug’s array of services and particular focus on quality and customer satisfaction set the chain apart in a crowded marketplace.
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