When most people think of pest control, they picture technicians tackling termites, spiders, or rodents. But for John Thompson, a branch manager with EcoShield Pest Solutions in Oklahoma, “going above and beyond” recently meant something entirely different—stepping onto the mats of a local jiu-jitsu gym and teaching a kids’ class on the spot.

When the temperatures drop and winter sets in, many of us breathe a sigh of relief, assuming the creepy crawlies that lurk around our homes have gone dormant or disappeared altogether. But what about spiders? These eight-legged creatures have a way of showing up when we least expect them, and the thought of them reproducing during the colder...