AGENT FOR CONTROLLING PESTS SUCH AS RODENTS

Abstract

The invention relates to agents for controlling pests, in particular rodents, such as mice, wherein the agent contains as an active substance, a grayonotoxin or a mixture of grayanotoxins and the active substance is present in or on plant tissue as an active substance carrier. The invention also relates to the use of plant tissue having a content of grayanotoxins as rodenticides and/or for driving away rodents.

Claims

1. An agent for controlling pests including an active substance comprising a grayanotoxin or a mixture of grayanotoxins, wherein the active substance is provided in or on plant tissue as an active substance carrier.

2. The agent according to claim 1, wherein the plant tissue comes from a plant belonging to the Ericaceae family.

3. The agent according to claim 2, wherein the plant tissue comprises parts capable of germination of a Rhododendron plant.

4. The agent according to claim 1, wherein the plant tissue naturally contains the active substance.

5. The agent according to claim 1, wherein that the plant tissue is enriched with grayanotoxin as the active substance.

6. The agent according to claim 1, wherein the content of the grayanotoxin or the mixture of grayanotoxins in the plant tissue is at least 0.0005 wt. %, preferably between 0.0005 wt. % and 2 wt. %.

7. The agent according to claim 1, wherein the agent is configured for introduction into the rodents' tunnels.

8. The agent according to claim 1, wherein the agent is planted as a seedling with the capacity to grow in the tunnels or near the tunnels of the rodents.

9. The agent according to claim 1, wherein the agent is provided as a plant tissue in the form of seedlings and/or plant parts with the capacity to grow in a container, wherein the container contains a plant substrate allowing growth and allows air and light to enter.

10. The agent according to claim 9, wherein the container has at least one entrance opening for the access of rodents.

11. The agent according to claim 10, wherein the at least one entrance opening is covered by a removable closure.

12. The agent according to claim 9, wherein the container has a waterproof bottom tray, which is closed from above by a lid or a foil, and wherein the container including its contents can be stacked for transport.

13. The agent according to claim 12, wherein the container and the lid can be decomposed in the ground by humidity, in order to allow the plant tissue to form roots and grow.

14. The agent according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the plant tissue is dead plant tissue, which has lost its capacity to grow.

15. A method for controlling rodents, comprising using an agent comprising plant tissue containing grayanotoxins as a rodenticide.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the agent includes the features of claim 1 contained in a container.

17. The agent according to claim 1, wherein the pests comprise rodents.

18. The agent according to claim 2, wherein the plant tissue comes from a plant belonging to the genus Rhododendron.

19. The agent according to claim 3, wherein the parts are selected from roots, stems, leaves and/or flowers.

20. A rodenticide containing an active substance comprising grayanotoxin or a mixture of grayanotoxins, wherein the rodenticide is provided as a plant tissue in the form of seedlings and/or plant parts with the capacity to grow in a container, wherein the container contains a plant substrate allowing growth and allows air and light to enter, wherein the container has at least one entrance opening one or more entrance openings for the access of rodents.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] FIGS. 1 and 2 show oblique views of two different embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The pieces of plant tissues 1, which contain the active substance, in the form of small plantlets or cuttings of the plant genus Rhododendron are stuck or rooted in a growth substrate 2. The substrate 2 is located at the bottom of a largely transparent container 3, which is preferably made of transparent plastic. At the top, the container 3 is closed by a lid 4. The lid 4 may be removable or, for example, have the form of a foil bonded to the edges of the container 3. The lid 4 has air holes 5. In the form shown, the agent may also be transported and stacked over a prolonged period of time. As a result of the air holes 5 and the exposure to light through the transparent container 3, the plant can grow and survive.

[0027] There are several possibilities for its application as a pesticide, especially as a rodenticide. On the one hand, the plantlets or plant parts 1 can be removed from the packaging and inserted into or planted in the rodents' tunnels.

[0028] On the other hand, the container 3 may be used as a mousetrap. For this purpose, entrance openings 6 for mice are indicated as one possibility, which are closed for transport, and on site the closure 7, for example in the form of an adhesive foil, can be pulled off and the agent placed in the vicinity of the rodent tunnels.

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a narrower embodiment of the agent for controlling pests, wherein the cross-section or width of the container 3 is chosen such that the container 3 including its contents can be inserted into a possibly widened tunnel of the rodents.

[0030] Advantageously, the container 3 may be waterproof, at least in the lower region, so that the moist growth substrate 2 cannot soak the container 3. The moist soil should not destroy the contents immediately.

[0031] However, it may be provided that the container 3 is decomposed by moisture from the outside after a certain period of exposure, so that the sprouting plant parts 1 of the Rhododendron can form roots into the surrounding soil, thus allowing the Rhododendron to form roots and grow.

[0032] The plant growth substrate 2 may be a moist storage material, such as soil or conventional available plant substrates. The growth substrate 2 may be provided with nutrients required for growth.

[0033] Alternatively, mere water or moisture may be provided in a water reservoir to prevent desiccation of inserted plant parts 1. The plant parts 1 are preferably those that have an increased content of the active substance, such as the flowers.

[0034] The interior of the containers 3 may also contain, for example, further attractants, which attract the rodents so that they approach the plant parts 1 in the container 3.

[0035] The embodiment according to FIG. 1 is only to be seen as an example. Two or more rows of plant tissue 1 may be arranged, and the number of air holes 5 may also be adapted to the requirements. An entrance opening 6 for mice can be arranged in the end face, as shown in FIG. 1, but also in the form of gaps in the long side of the container 3 or also in the lid 4. It is essential that the rodent has easy access to the plant tissue 1. Preferably, the container 3 with the lid 4 is so sturdy that the contents are protected for transport and that stacking is possible.

[0036] The embodiment according to FIG. 2 is also to be seen as purely schematic. Such a narrow housing can either contain one piece of plant tissue 1 or a number of pieces of tissue. The entrance opening 6 for mice is preferably arranged in one of the narrow end faces, as shown in the drawing, so that the rodent can easily enter the interior of the container 3 to eat the pieces of plant tissue there.

[0037] A preferred application of the embodiment according to FIG. 2 is to push the container 3 with contents into a rodent tunnel in such a way that the entrance opening 6 is aligned with the tunnel. Since rodents have a tendency to keep the tunnels clear, the rodents will readily enter the container 3 and eat the grayanotoxin-laden pieces of tissue there.

[0038] Exemplary dimensions for the container 3 according to FIG. 2 are: Length 20 cm, width 6 cm, height 6 cm.

[0039] The plant tissues 1 used are suitable if they contain an active substance which is lethal for the rodent, wherein the grayanotoxins in particular are to be mentioned as a substance class. These active substances are contained in particular in suitable rhododendron species, of which the corresponding pieces of tissue 1 may be stored or planted in the container 3. In the context of the invention, it may also be advantageous to enrich the pieces of tissue 1 with the active substance, which may be done either by cultivating the corresponding plants, or by artificial addition, such as spraying or injection.

[0040] The containers 3 have the further advantage that, on the one hand, the pieces of tissue 1 loaded with the active substance are not freely accessible and that, on the other hand, the contents of the container 3 are protected. If the container 3 is made of a degradable material, it can, for example, decompose within one to two months and allow the plants to grow out of it.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0041] 1 Plant tissue [0042] 2 Growth substrate [0043] 3 Container [0044] 4 Lid [0045] 5 Air hole [0046] 6 Entrance opening for mice [0047] 7 Closure