SONOMA, Calif., July 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Automatic Trap Company (ATC), the North American distributor of the poison-free, self-resetting TerraTrap ground squirrel system, today announced that the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) has issued written clarification confirming that professional ground squirrel control using mechanical kill-trapping requires no licensing beyond the credentials the pest control industry already holds.
The question was raised in June 2026 by a coalition of California pest control companies specializing in burrowing rodent management: Lenz Pest Control, Inc. (Santa Barbara), Smith’s Pest Management (San Jose), Clark Pest Control (Lodi), Go-Pher The Kill, Inc. (Riverside), Cragoe Pest Services, Inc. (Moorpark), and MRS Environmental (Santa Barbara). DPR’s Licensing and Certification Unit provided written clarification in July.
DPR’s guidance rests on how California defines the work. Under Food and Agricultural Code section 11403, pest control includes the use of any substance, method, or device to control a pest — not only pesticides. Mechanical kill-trapping therefore qualifies as pest control, which places it under DPR’s authority. When a business is hired to control ground squirrels with mechanical kill traps, the required credentials are a licensed Pest Control Business and a Qualified Applicator License (QAL) supervising operations, with the QAL category matching the setting where the work is performed.
The practical effect is that a licensed California pest control business already holds the credentials required to offer mechanical ground squirrel control. No additional license or second agency approval is required.
The guidance also draws a clear line for live trapping. Under FAC section 11531(e), live capture and removal of vertebrate pests without pesticides is exempt from DPR licensing — but that exemption does not extend to mechanical kill devices, and it does not relieve anyone of obligations under the California Fish and Game Code. Kill-trapping stays with DPR; live capture falls under a separate regime.
The TerraTrap kills ground squirrels humanely and mechanically, using the CO2-powered Goodnature A18 strike mechanism housed in a camouflaged enclosure. The mechanism resets itself after each activation. Deployment begins with an establishment period of active pre-feeding over the first one to two weeks; once established, it works around the clock between service visits. There are no bait stations to log, no rodenticide use reporting, and zero risk to children, pets, livestock or wildlife.
In a recent California deployment, a licensed operator cleared a dozen burrows and more than 30 ground squirrels using two TerraTrap units, with no poison used at any stage.
“This is a clear answer for professional operators,” said Blair Calder, President of Automatic Trap Company. “If you run a licensed pest control business in California, you already hold the credentials required to offer your customers a poison-free ground squirrel service — one that resets itself between visits and gives your technicians a repeatable program to run.”
“Having DPR’s position in writing gives operators the confidence to incorporate mechanical trapping into their ground squirrel management programs,” said Dale Shreve, General Manager of Lenz Pest Control, who coordinated the regulatory inquiry.
Availability
The TerraTrap ground squirrel system is available at https://www.automatictrap.com/. Pest control businesses interested in volume or program pricing can contact ATC’s B2B sales team at 877-992-8868 ext. 711.
About Automatic Trap Company
ATC, headquartered in Sonoma, California, is the North American distributor of CO2-powered, self-resetting traps, serving homeowners and pest control professionals across the United States and Canada. The TerraTrap ground squirrel system is manufactured by Innovative Trapping Solutions and is powered by the Goodnature A18 mechanism. Learn more at https://www.automatictrap.com/
Media Contact
Richard Cao, Marketing Manager
Automatic Trap Company
richard.cao@automatictrap.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/24d35c29-4b89-4688-b080-d290f066b4e2
