Rodent pests and their control.

Chapter 5 (Page no: 101)

Rodent control methods: non-chemical and non-lethal chemical, with special reference to food stores.

This chapter describes several non-chemical and non-lethal chemical methods for rodent control, highlighting the effectiveness of these methods to achieve the following objectives: prevent and reduce immigation of rodents; forcing rodents to emigrate; reduction of pest birth rate; and increase pest mortality. Examples of the methods are trapping, shooting, habitat manipulation, and the use of chemical repellents and physical barriers. As food stores, with their provision of a relatively unlimited supply of the factors most commonly limiting population growth, provide an ideal situation in which a rodent population can develop and expand, this chapter outlines the negative consequences of rodent infestation of food stores including: direct consumption of food; food contamination and damage; structural damage; disease transmission; source of reinfestation of adjoining areas; and costs associated with control operations. Finally, the development and application of rodent-control strategies in food stores are described.

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