Bait

Description

A food or lure used to attract pests usually for the purpose of killing them. Many baits are combined with toxic formulations designed to be eaten by the target, such as Baygon cockroach bait and D-Con for rodents (Zycherman and Schrock 1988). The toxic compounds are often Arsenic salts or Bordeaux mixture. Commercial interior baits are commonly used for ants, roaches, flies, and rodents. Specific Pheromone lures are used for beetles and moths.

Risks

Often toxic to other species. Once the bait becomes ineffective, it may serve as a food source.

Resources and Citations

• L. Zycherman, J.R. Schrock, A Guide to Museum Pest Control, FAIC, Washington, DC, 1988.

• Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993

• Lynda A. Zycherman, J.Richard Schrock, A Guide to Museum Pest Control, FAIC and Association of Systematics Collections, Washington DC, 1988

• Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997

• The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998