The present invention relates to the field of insect control, and more particularly to a bait-and-switch delivery apparatus for the control of insects.
Various traps and other types of insecticide delivery systems have been developed in an attempt to control flying insects with varying degrees of success. Insecticide delivery systems are sometimes categorized as being either of the "quick kill" variety or of a "delayed kill" type.
Quick kill systems use pesticides that kill shortly after contact or ingestion. Quick kill pesticides are usually used in aerosol and spray insecticide systems. Unfortunately, quick kill pesticides are typically only effective on individuals or very small groups of insects, and thus the entire colony of insects cannot be eradicated unless the entire colony is exposed to the quick kill pesticide. Such exposure can rarely be accomplished due to the limitations of dispensing such pesticides.
Pesticides which have a "delayed kill" action are most useful against social insects such as wasps and bees. If a "delayed kill" pesticide is ingested by wasps and bees, the active substance toxic to the insect will be carried back to the home colony where it will be shared by other members such as larvae, workers, and the queen. If sufficient toxicant is transported back into the home colony, it is possible to eradicate the entire colony. In order to assure that sufficient toxicant is carried back to the nest or home colony, the formulation containing the active toxicant must be palatable to the insect.
Wasps, which include such species as yellow jackets and hornets, are generally categorized as feeding source generalists. However, wasps are quite sensitive to the presence of adulterants in food. Thus, palatable toxicant formulations must be carefully prepared so that the levels of toxicants, surfactants and other substances are carefully blended to provide an attractive bait. However, degradation of the toxicant often times results in bait which, although initially attractive, ultimately becomes unpalatable.
An approach to getting wasps such as yellow jackets and hornets to ingest a toxicant that has been found very effective has been called the "bait-and-switch" technique. This technique essentially allows the wasps to become accustomed to a liquid food source containing no toxicants, i.e. a liquid formulated with bait only which is attractive to the insect during an initial feeding period. As a result, these insects are baited or trained to continue feeding from what they consider to be a palatable formulation even after a toxicant is added to the formulation. For such a method to be convenient and effective, a specialized delivery system needs to be employed.