Pest Control Glossary 1 Flashcards
Active ingredient’s
This is the ingredient or ingredients found in a pest control product that produces the toxic effect.
Arthropod
Any insect, crustacean or spider having joints appendages and segmented body.
Action Threshold
This basically refers to the point when a pest becomes a problem that must be dealt with right away, to prevent it becoming an even bigger problem.
Biological Control
Refers to using living organisms to help control pest. These organisms may include pathogens, which are germs, viruses or fungi used to control pest. Biological control may also involve predators, such as having a ‘barn cat’ to help eradicate rats and mice. Another biological control for pest is parasitoids, which act by attaching themselves to the host and ultimately killing it.
BT
This is Bacillus thuringiensis, a bacterium used in pest control that is an alternative to chemicals. It is often used to prevent corn borer and boll weevils in cotton, for example.
Chemical pest control
Using either synthetic or natural derivative pesticides.
Complete Metamorphosis
Refers to the 4 stages of insect development, which are (1) egg (2) larva (3) pupa, (4) adult. You will probably run across this term most often in mosquito control products.
Contact Poison
Is one that literally kills by contacting the pest. A contact poison is absorbed through the body of the pest, instead of having to be ingested.
Density
Refers to number of pest within a certain, specific area
Dormancy
The recurring time period In the life of an organism when it’s dormant, meaning the development, growth or reproduction are all surprised.
Entomopathogenic
An organism that attack insects.
Exotic
In pest-control terms it’s making reference to a pest that is not native to an area, but was brought in from somewhere else.
A good example of an extinct insect is the Japanese Beetle.
Another is Starlings, which were brought to the U.S. From England back in the 1890s.
Fumigant
A substance used in the killing of pest that work by producing a lethal fume, vapor, gas or smoke
Generalist
This simply refers to any pest or predator that is able to utilize a wide variety of species as either pray or host. Ticks, for example, can do attach themselves to pet, farm animals or people.
Generation
This simply refers to any time frame in the cycle of pest’s life to the identical stage in the life cycle of its progeny. For instance, in the case of mosquitoes; from egg to egg.