SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR PEST REDUCTION

Abstract

The present invention includes a new type of bait for wood-targeting pest baiting systems and methods of obtaining the bait. Certain embodiments of the present invention include a blue-stained wood either treated with a solution that includes blue-stain fungi or wood naturally infected with blue-stain fungi. Additional embodiments of the present invention include a blue-stained solution that may be applied to a wood substrate or to a non-wood bait matrix.

Claims

1. A wood-targeting pest baiting system comprising a bait for the wood-targeting pest, wherein said bait is a bait unit including an ophiostomatoid fungus that attracts wood-targeting pests and is a non-wood decaying fungus.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a housing configured to be positioned near a wood target and at least partially enclose the bait.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the bait unit is a blue-stained wood.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the blue-stained wood is sapwood naturally infested with the ophiostomatoid fungus.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the blue-stained wood is sapwood artificially treated with the ophiostomatoid fungus.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the ophiostomatoid fungus is one selected from the following group: a non-wood decaying fungus selected from the group consisting of Ophiostoma, Ceratocystis, Leptographium, and Grossmannia, an extract from a non-wood decaying fungus selected from the group consisting of Ophiostoma, Ceratocystis, Leptographium, and Grossmannia, and a non-wood decaying fungus selected from the group consisting of Ophiostoma, Ceratocystis, Leptographium, and Grossmannia in a solution with a solvent.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the bait unit is a bait matrix artificially treated with the ophiostomatoid fungus.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the ophiostomatoid fungus is one selected from a genus of Ophiostoma, Ceratocystis, Leptographium, and Grossmannia.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the ophiostomatoid fungus is a non-wood decaying fungus selected from the group consisting of Ophiostoma, Ceratocystis, Leptographium, and Grossmannia, an extract from a non-wood decaying fungus selected from the group consisting of Ophiostoma, Ceratocystis, Leptographium, and Grossmannia, and a non-wood decaying fungus selected from the group consisting of Ophiostoma, Ceratocystis, Leptographium, and Grossmannia in a solution with a solvent.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the bait matrix is made from one selected from the group of: a cellulosic material, other natural material, and a synthetic material suitable for termite feeding.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein bait unit is treated with a pesticide.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the bait unit is treated with a wood-decay fungus.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the wood-decay fungus is derived from G. trabeum.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the wood-targeting pest bait system is a subterranean system configured to be positioned under the ground.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the wood-targeting pest bait system is an aboveground bait system.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the aboveground bait system is configured to be mounted on a wall.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] The preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in conjunction with the appended drawings provided to illustrate and not to the limit the invention, where like designations denote like elements, and in which:

[0042] FIG. 1A is an embodiment of a subterranean wood-targeting pest bait system of the present invention;

[0043] FIG. 1B is an embodiment of an aboveground wood-targeting pest bait system of the present invention; and

[0044] FIG. 2 is a method embodiment of the present invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0045] As described above, subterranean termites are one of the most destructive pests of wooden structures in the world, costing property owners billions of dollars annually in control and replacement costs. Bait systems, such as bait stations, may be used to protect wooden structures from subterranean termite degradation. Bait stations are placed in the soil around structures to intercept subterranean termites and offer a sacrificial food source, which can be used to monitor for termite presence, or treated with a slow acting insecticide to act as a control. Wood is often the sacrificial feeding attractant of choice used to entice randomly foraging subterranean termites to the bait stations. Termite workers feed on the wood bait and any chemicals it may contain while recruiting other termites to the site. Termite workers feed other castes of termites within the colony, which slowly die off after ingesting the toxicant. If the attractiveness or the consumption rate of a bait source within termite bait stations can be increased, consumption of the toxicant contained within is increased, ultimately improving the effectiveness of the bait station, and the home/building is better protected against subterranean termites. Blue-stained wood or any compounds or chemicals derived from blue-stained wood act as a feeding stimulant and attractant to increase termite feeding, thereby promoting the effectiveness of insecticides from termite bait stations and other termite baiting systems.

[0046] Certain system embodiments 100 of the present invention include a wood-targeting pest bait system 102. A wood-targeting pest bait system 102 may include a subterranean bait system 102A configured to be positioned under the ground 90 as illustrated in FIG. 1A. Alternatively, a wood-targeting pest bait system 102 may include an aboveground bait system 102B, e.g., wall-mounted bait system configured to be mounted on a wall 95 as illustrated in FIG. 1B. Each bait system 102 may include a housing 103 and a blue-stained bait unit 104. The housing 103 may be configured to enclose at least a portion of the blue-stained bait unit 104. The blue-stained bait unit 104 may include sapwood naturally infected with blue-stain fungi, sapwood treated with blue-stain fungi, or a bait station matrix treated with blue-stain fungi.

[0047] In the treated embodiments of bait unit, the blue-stain fungi may be pure blue-stain fungi, blue-stain fungi in a solution with a solvent, or an extract from a blue-stain fungi extract (e.g., any isolated portion of blue-stain fungi).

[0048] While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown by way of example in the drawings and have been described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit the disclosure to the particular embodiments disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.