Techniques for maintaining palatability of a bait material in a pest control device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9655354-B2
Application number	US-201414485113-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2014
Priority date	Jul 26, 2007
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

A termite control bait container includes an upper end portion opposite a lower end portion. The bait container includes a chamber containing a termite bait. The lower end portion includes an air-trapping pocket below at least a portion of the bait to reduce intrusion of water through the lower end portion when installed in a selected orientation at least partially below ground.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of assembling a pest control device, the method comprising:
inserting a sensor assembly through a proximal end of a cylindrical body to position the sensor assembly in an interior space of the cylindrical body,
threading a closure onto the proximal end of the cylindrical body to create an airtight seal,
inserting bait pellets through a distal end of the cylindrical body to at least partially fill the interior space around the sensor assembly,
engaging a first moisture barrier with a seat of the cylindrical body positioned near the distal end, the first moisture barrier being formed from a termite palatable material, and
threading a pest access arrangement into the distal end to capture the first moisture barrier between the seat and a partition of the pest access arrangement, the pest access arrangement including a plug formed from a termite palatable material that defines a second moisture barrier distal of the partition.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a chamber is defined between the partition and the plug, and the pest access arrangement further includes a plurality of longitudinal grooves extending along the plug, each groove being in communication with the chamber.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising inserting the distal end of the cylindrical body into an interior space of an outer housing, the outer housing including a plurality of passages intersecting the interior space of the outer housing to facilitate subterranean ingress of termites.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the pest access arrangement includes an internal ledge configured to secure the plug in a position that is spaced apart from the partition.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical body includes:
(i) a ledge that the sensor assembly is configured to rest, and
(ii) one or more interior slots to maintain the sensor assembly in position in the cylindrical body when the bait pellets are being inserted into the cylindrical body.

6. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising inserting the cylindrical body through a proximal opening of an outer housing into an interior space defined in the outer housing, the interior space being sized to receive the cylindrical body.

7. The method of claim 6 , the method further comprising engaging a cap onto the outer housing to cover the proximal opening and to secure the cylindrical body inside the outer housing.

8. The method of claim 7 , the method further comprising positioning the outer housing in the ground.

Assignees

• Dow Agrosciences Llc

Inventors

• Tolley Mike P
• Howard Phillip J
• Demark Joseph J
• Williams Iii Donald E

Classifications

• A01M1/20

  Poisoning, narcotising, or burning insects {(fumigation apparatus A01M13/00)} · CPC title

• A01M1/2011 Primary

  for crawling insects · CPC title

• A01M17/00

  Apparatus for the destruction of vermin in soil or in foodstuffs {(injecting fertilisers into the roots of trees A01G29/00)} · CPC title

• A01M1/026

  combined with devices for monitoring insect presence, e.g. termites (bait stations A01M1/2005; detecting other animals in a given area A01M31/002) · CPC title

• A01M1/02 Primary

  with devices {or substances, e.g. food, pheronones} attracting the insects · CPC title