Badder than a Bed Bug Strategically Designed Modular Moat Systems for Control of Target Pests

摘要

Method and apparatus for killing target pests using strategically designed moats. The moats are constructed of barrier material that is difficult for the target pests to traverse, material that is easy for the target pests to traverse, and killing material, which tends to kill the target pests after they have made adequate contact with it. These elements are strategically positioned so that target pests that are attracted to a bait travel along a long zigzag path parallel to the barrier material and, hence, a long zigzag path along killing material held by the material that is easy for the target pests to traverse and along any killing material contained in a strategically positioned furrow. Moat system embodiments that provide selective access to baits and/or killing material are disclosed. Several examples are provided demonstrating applications to bed bugs, and explanation is provided for how to apply the invention to other pests.

主权项

1. A moat system for killing target pests that are attracted to a bait, wherein said moat system comprises:
a. barrier material, which is substantially difficult for said target pests to traverse by climbing or crawling along an impeding surface of said barrier material when said impeding surface of said barrier material is positioned within a specific range of orientations;
i. wherein a demarcating portion of said impeding surface of said barrier material forms a demarcation between two regions;ii. wherein one of said two regions comprises a target pest region and the other of said two regions comprises a bait region;iii. wherein said bait is located within said bait region;iv. wherein said target pests cannot travel from one of said two regions to the other of said two regions without either traversing said demarcation by climbing or crawling along a portion of said demarcation or bypassing said demarcation by dropping over the side of said demarcation;andv. wherein said impeding surface of said barrier material is positioned within said specific range of orientations; b. at least one moat wall;
i. wherein at least one surface of at least one of said at least one moat wall comprises clinging material;
A. wherein said clinging material is easy for said target pests to traverse by climbing or crawling along the surface of said clinging material; and c. killing material, which is substantially lethal to said target pests when at least one specific part of the anatomy of said target pests makes contact with said killing material;
i. wherein said clinging material is capable of holding a clinging portion of said killing material substantially securely to its surface at any orientation in space;ii. wherein said clinging material holds said clinging portion of said killing material to its surface;iii. wherein the quantity of said clinging portion of said killing material per surface area of said clinging material is substantial;iv. wherein said clinging material is easy for said target pests to traverse by climbing or crawling along the surface of said clinging material when said clinging material holds said clinging portion of said killing material to its surface;v. wherein said killing material possesses the property that the greater the contact with said killing material made by said at least one specific part of the anatomy of said target pests the higher the probability that said target pests will die as a result of said contact;vi. wherein said barrier material is so arranged relative to said killing material that said target pests can substantially easily reach, from at least one of said target pest region and said bait region, a border portion of said killing material and can substantially easily traverse said border portion of said killing material in such a manner that said at least one specific part of the anatomy of said target pests makes substantial contact with said border portion of said killing material without said target pests making contact with any of said barrier material;vii. wherein at least one surface of at least one of said at least one moat wall comprises a clinging portion of said demarcation;andviii. wherein said clinging portion of said demarcation is so arranged relative to a zigzag portion of said clinging portion of said killing material that the greater the effort expended by said target pests to traverse or bypass said clinging portion of said demarcation in an attempt to exit the portion of the clinging material that holds said zigzag portion of said clinging portion of said killing material the greater the contact made by said at least one specific part of the anatomy of said target pests with said zigzag portion of said clinging portion of said killing material.