BAIT STATION FOR CONTROLLING INSECTS SUCH AS YELLOW JACKETS

A bait station for controlling insects such as yellowjackets and other wasps includes a housing that is formed from bottom vessel where insecticide-laced bait is positioned, and a top portion having apertures or holes that is sealable to the bottom vessel and allows for entry and entry of insects to be controlled. A mixing top may be further included that is applicable to the bottom vessel and enables bait to be mixed inside the bottom vessel. The ingredients of the bait are placed into the bottom vessel, and the mixing top is attached and sealed to the bottom vessel, which is then shaken to mix the ingredients to evenly spread the insecticide across the bait and throughout an interior surface of the bottom vessel. The mixing top is removed and the separate top portion is sealed to the bottom vessel, forming the bait station which is deployed to attract insects. The insects enter the bait station and either grab bait or coat their bodies with bait, enabling a transfer of effective doses of slow-acting insecticide to their nests following exit from the bait station. A method of controlling insects also enables bait to be mixed together with an insecticide without transferring the treated bait to a different container, without external devices, and in a way that does not risk spills or splashes.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus for controlling insects. Specifically, the present invention relates to a bait station which attracts insects with one or more insecticide-laced baits composed of multiple ingredients that are mixed together within the bait station, and allows the insects to exit the bait station with the insecticide-laced bait and bring it to a remote nest.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are many types of apparatuses, devices and products available that provide solutions to controlling aggressive, destructive, or other nuisance-causing insects, such as wasps that are commonly known as yellowjackets. Some of these solutions attempt to kill such insects by permanently trapping them in a container, but these solutions are limited because they will only kill insects that enter the container, which is a small percentage of the total population of an active nest. Such solutions, therefore, do not allow the insects to take a slow-acting bait back to the nest to destroy the nest's other occupants. Other solutions attempt to use particular insecticides or pesticides as bait, such as Esfenvalerate (a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide), but these solutions are similarly unable to meet industry needs because Esfenvalerate has not been shown to be effective with all insects, for example certain species of yellowjackets. Other existing solutions seek to kill insect nests using just a poisonous bait, but these solutions also are lacking because they rely on the insect grabbing the bait, and do not provide a method for getting poison onto insect bodies for a more robust distribution when back in the nest.

Still others seek to kill insects using a Fipronil-treated bait station, but these solutions also fail to meet industry needs because they rely on the owner to mix their own poisonous bait in a way that can cause spills and leaks, for example by having to transfer the bait into a bait station, risking pesticide contamination of the work or placement area. Others seek to kill yellow jackets using a treated bait station, but they fail to meet industry needs because they rely on the owner to stir their own baits in a way that can allow for uneven mixing of the pesticide in the bait. Additional solutions seek to kill yellow jackets using a treated bait station, but they fail to meet industry needs because they rely on the owner to mix their own baits with an external mixing stick, and insufficiently lace the sides of the bait station with insecticide/pesticide, allowing the wasp to leave without attaching delayed-acting poison to its appendages.

Current solutions to addressing these issues involve either guessing the best protein for the insect population to be controlled, or by testing, by placing different proteins in the open and seeing which one attracts the most insects. This can be time consuming and risky for the pest controller, as one must wait to see the results, and run the risk of getting stung while retrieving the extra food, and also the risk of having a wild animal or pet eat the food while running the experiment. Conversely, one may use their instinct and just pick a bait, but then there is the risk of having an ineffective bait station, and having to start over. Additionally, one must take care not to harm protected or endangered species, or cause damage to populations of insects that are not aggressive (or do not need to be controlled) or are otherwise environmentally sensitive, such as honey bees.

Therefore, there is a need unmet in the existing art for a system and method of controlling insects that deploys bait, comprised of a protein laced with slow-acting insecticide that is combined by shaking or otherwise mixing inside a container serving as a trap, that is attractive to particular insects and can be taken when they enter and leave the trap. There is an additional unmet need to deploy such an insecticide-laced bait onto the bodies of insects as they maneuver within the housing that contains the bait. There is a further need for approaches to preparing a treated bait for an insect bait station that prevents spills and transfer of insecticide-laced bait, preparing treated bait for a bait station that can uniformly mix the insecticide and bait, preparing bait for a bait station that does not require a risky transfer of the bait from a mixing container into a bait station container. There is a still a further unmet need for an approach which effectively targets an insect population without excessive testing or risk.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is one objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus for attracting insects, such as yellow jackets, and enabling a transfer of effective doses of slow- acting insecticides and pesticides back to their nests with a bait laced with such a poison. It is another objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus that enables insects to easily enter a housing that includes an insecticide-laced bait and take portions of the bait back to their nests. It is still another objective of the present invention to be able to mix together an insecticide and a bait within a bait station itself in a way that does not risk spills or splashes of the poison that would contaminate the user or the surrounding environment. It is still another objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus where the insecticide is contained only on an inside of a housing, and not on the outside, so as not to contaminate the environment or pose a danger to the person arranging the apparatus for use.

It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a system and method of mixing an insecticide and a bait together, without having to transfer treated bait to a different container. It is still another objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus that is effective in getting slow-acting insecticide onto the exterior portions of bodies of insects such as their exoskeletons, allowing them to bring even more of insecticide back to the nest. It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a system and method of mixing together an insecticide and a bait within a bait station without another device or tool, such as for example a stirring stick or a spoon, that may end up with poisonous residue thereon.

It is still another objective of the present invention to provide to be able to mix a concentrated insecticide and bait and water within a housing comprising a bait station in a way that can evenly spread the insecticide across the bait. It is still another objective of the present invention to mix together an insecticide and a bait within a bait station by simply adding the ingredients, closing the bait station, and shaking it to ensure even distribution of the insecticide on the bait and of the insecticide-laced bait throughout the housing comprising the bait station.

The present invention is an apparatus that serves as a bait station for attracting insects that one desires to control. The bait station includes a housing having interior and exterior portions and a plurality of different components, and ingress/egress points in the housing that allow insects to gain access to insecticide- laced bait positioned within the housing. This apparatus can be used to control the populations of insect nests remotely by allowing the insects to take insecticide-laced bait from the housing and bring insecticides back into the nest, poisoning the queen, larvae, foragers and other members of the nest environment.

The housing includes a mixing container that can be sealed and shaken, and a container top having one or more apertures or holes that serve as entry and exit points for the insects. The container top is configured so that the mixing container can be attached to it, inserted into it, or converted into it (by opening the entry and exit points). The housing may also include an attachment, such as string, that enables the bait station to hang from an external member. It should be noted that the bait station is designed in such a way to encourage insects to be attracted to the bait, enter into and fly around the inside of the housing, collect the insecticide-laced bait, and then exit the bait station alive to return to their nest.

The bait station contains, in one embodiment, three components: a top portion having the one or more apertures or holes, a mixing top without holes, and a bottom vessel. The bait is configured in one aspect of the present invention station by shaking bait components together inside the housing. In another embodiment, the bait station is comprised of a container where the one or more apertures or holes can be opened or closed by sliding components to allow entry and exit vis-a-vis the housing. In another embodiment, the bait station consists of a sealable mixing container that can be shaken and then unsealed and placed into a bait station that has apertures or holes for entry/egress. In still another embodiment, the bait station includes a container with apertures or holes for insect egress/exit sealed by material such as tape, plugs or punchable or peelable plastic. In such an embodiment, the bait is mixed in the container and the tape, plastic or plug is pulled to reveal the holes.

In one implementation of the present invention, the bait components are added to the bottom vessel to introduce the solution to the housing. Water or other liquid is first added, and then a concentrated insecticide, followed by a protein-based bait. In other implementations, these or other ingredients may be added in any order and in any quantity sufficient to attract desired insects. The housing is then closed by applying the mixing top, which may be a screw-top lid having threads that engage with opposing threads on the bottom vessel, or via any another closure mechanism for sealing the container. The bait station is then shaken vigorously, mixing the ingredients inside the housing, and allowing the interior surface of the housing to be coated with insecticide. A vessel configured with temporarily sealed entry and egress points may also be used to shake the ingredients without having to utilize a separate top, in another embodiment of the present invention.

The bait station is then configured to present exit/egress holes for the target insects. In one embodiment, the bait station mixing top is removed and a new top having apertures or holes for insect entry and egress is connected. In the embodiment where the bottom vessel is shaken to mix the bait ingredients without having to utilize a separate mixing top, tape or plastic, or cork or plugs may be removed from the housing to reveal entry/exit holes. In the embodiment where the portion with one or more apertures is an outer or larger-vessel, the mixing top is removed and the mixing inner vessel is placed into a larger vessel with the one or more apertures. Regardless, once the bait station has been configured to attract live insects such as yellowjackets, it contaminates them with slow-acting insecticides and allows them to return to their nest, so that the insecticide poisons the other occupants of the nest.

The present invention therefore provides an apparatus and method to deploy a bait station that allows a slow-acting insecticide to be transferred to the bodies of insects such as yellow jackets when they enter due to an attractive bait. The present invention also provides methods of preparing a bait for a bait station that prevents spills and transfer of insecticide-laced bait during mixing or deployment, preparing a bait for a bait station that permits uniformly mixing the insecticide and bait together by making it possible to shake the ingredients together, preparing bait for a bait station that does not require a risky transfer of the bait from a mixing container into a bait station container, and preparing bait for a bait station that is simpler and more efficient than tediously stirring ingredients together.

Other objects, embodiments, implementations, aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments, taken together with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following description of the present invention reference is made to the exemplary embodiments illustrating the principles of the present invention and how it is practiced. Other embodiments will be utilized to practice the present invention and structural and functional changes will be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The present invention is a bait station100for controlling insects102, such as yellowjackets and other wasps.FIGS. 1-5show an exemplary configuration of such a bait station100, in varying stages of preparation for deployment.

FIG. 4andFIG. 5are illustrations of the various structural elements of a bait station100according to one embodiment of the present invention. The bait station100includes a housing110within which insects102come into contact with an insecticide-laced bait120. The bait station100includes a bottom vessel130, and two removable top portions—a mixing cap140, and an ingress and egress receptacle150having one or more apertures152that allow for insects102whose population are to be controlled to enter into and exit from the housing110. Both the mixing cap140and the entry and egress portion150are capable of being sealed to the bottom vessel130, so that they can be applied to and removed from the bottom vessel130when desired. When the ingress and egress receptacle150is applied to the bottom vessel130, insects102entering the housing110through the one or more apertures152come into contact with the insecticide-laced bait120, either by coating their exoskeletons or by grabbing the insecticide-laced bait or both, thereby taking portions of the insecticide-laced bait120with them after exiting the ingress and egress receptacle150through the apertures152back to their nests.

Because different types of insects102are attracted to different ingredients, it is to be understood that the insecticide-laced bait120may include many different components to produce bait that is effective, and that the present invention is not to be limited to any one composition of such a bait. Nevertheless, individual components for an effective insecticide-laced bait120in the present invention may generally include a pesticide concentrate (such as an insecticide or other poison), a bait, and a liquid such as water. As shown inFIG. 1andFIG. 2, these ingredients are placed into the bottom vessel130, and the mixing cap140may then be applied to the bottom vessel130to seal this portion of the housing110. As shown inFIG. 3, the combination180of the bottom vessel130and the mixing cap140is then shaken to ensure that all ingredients of the bait120are mixed together. The mixing cap140is then removed, and a bait station cap comprising the ingress and egress receptacle150having holes allowing for entry and exit of insects102is attached onto the bottom vessel130. Once sealed thereto, a full bait station100is created that allows insects to enter, come into contact with the treated bait120, and exit.FIG. 5illustrates a full bait station100deployed to attract insects102. It should be understood that in this disclosure of the present invention, the poison may be either an insecticide or another form of pesticide, and that the words insecticide and pesticide may be used interchangeably herein.

This presents a unique solution to existing apparatuses that it is structurally different from other known solutions to attracting and controlling insects102. More specifically, the present invention is novel due to the presence of a bottom, bait- holding vessel that is sealable to two versions of a top container—one that can used to close the bottom vessel for mixing bait therein, and one that can be applied to enable insect entry and egress to come into contact with mixed bait. The sealable bottom bait- holding vessel may be used to shake and mix bait without leakage or spills, and can also be attached to the top container having apertures or holes to build a complete insect bait station100.

The present invention may further include one or more members160configured to suspend, hang or otherwise deploy the bait station100in a location as desired by a user. The one or more members160may include any components suitable for suspending or hanging the bait station100, for example a wire string or elastic loop that can be fitted over a portion of a tree, such as a branch. It is to be understood nonetheless that the bait station100may be deployed in any manner, such as for example by placing it on a surface such as the ground, on a shelf or table, or hanging from nail, in any outdoor (or indoor) location where it is desirable to control insects102.

It is to be noted that the bait station100may be configured to attract and poison any type of insect102, aggressive, destructive or otherwise nuisance-causing, and therefore the present invention is not to be limited to any one type of insect102described herein. Therefore, while this disclosure mentions specifically wasps commonly known as “yellow jackets,” it is to be understood that the bait station100may be used to control populations of any type of insect102(or other pest) that a user desires to effect. For example, insects102may include, but are not limited to, hornets, termites, ants, or any other type of insect that whose population one desires to control.

It is to be further noted that many types of insecticide, many types of food, and many types of liquids may be used as ingredients so as to together comprise a bait120. For example, and as noted above, the insecticide component may comprise one or more of Fipronil, Esfenvalerate, or any other chemical, synthetic, or naturally- occurring poison, or a mixture of any combination of them, in any amount. The present invention is not to be limited to any one insecticide, or combination or mixture amount(s) thereof that are discussed herein. Similarly, the food ingredient of the bait120may be raw or cooked chicken (or other type of poultry), raw or cooked fish (or other type of seafood), beef, lamb, venison or any other protein fat (natural or synthetic), or sugar-containing items, and may likewise be used in combination, in any amounts of each for such a mixture. The bait120may also be a non protein- based ingredient. The present invention is therefore also not to be limited to any one type of food, or combination or amount(s) thereof discussed herein. Further, in addition to the protein source, other additives and attractants may be added, such as to include, but not limited to, Heptyl Butyrate. In addition to the protein source, other additives may be added such as water-absorbing beads to address moisture. Further, in addition to or in lieu of water, any type of liquid may be used with the pesticide and food ingredients, again in any combination or mixture amount(s), and the present invention is not to be limited to any one type of liquid, or combination or mixture amount(s) thereof discussed herein.

In another embodiment, the present invention is a method of mixing ingredients for controlling a population of insects within a bait station100. In this method, the individual ingredients for an effective bait120are placed into the bottom vessel130, and the bottom vessel130is sealed using the mixing cap140. The user then shakes or otherwise vigorously agitates the sealed bottom vessel130(as shown inFIG. 3) so that all ingredients are mixed together, causing insecticide to coat both the bait and the interior surface134of the bottom vessel130. The mixing cap140is removed from the bottom vessel130, and the ingress and egress receptacle150, having therein one or more apertures or holes152for entry and exit of insects102, is attached onto the bottom vessel130so that they are sealed thereto to form a bait station100that can be deployed as needed by the user.FIG. 6illustrates a cross-section of a bait station100, showing bait120inside the housing110and residue of the bait120on the interior surface134thereof.

The method of the present invention therefore provides an approach to preparing a bait station100for deployment that prevents spills and transfer of insecticide-laced bait120during the mixing process. The method also provides a way to prepare a bait station that involves uniformly mixing insecticide and bait120together, and a way to prepare a bait station100that does not require a risky transfer of treated bait120from a separate mixing container into the bait station100. The method also provides an approach to preparing bait120for a bait station100that is simpler and more efficient than tediously stirring the ingredients together using an external device such as a stirring spoon.

The various components of the housing110forming the bait station100may be connectable to each in other in any way which permits a seal between so that the surrounding environment is not contaminated with insecticide, and so that a user does not come into contact with the insecticide, such as by spillage, leakage, or splashing. For example, the mixing cap140and ingress and egress receptacle150may both be attachable to the bottom vessel130using a threaded or screw mechanism, so that each component contains appropriate threads to engage with the other component. In such an example, the bottom vessel130may include threads on its outer surface, and the mixing cap140may include threads on its inner surface (and likewise with the ingress and egress receptacle150), to form a sealed attachment when those threads are engaged with each other. In another example, the mixing cap140and ingress and egress receptacle150may be attachable to the bottom vessel130using a mechanism that allows them to tightly “snap” together. Additionally, multiple mechanisms may be used, so that each of the mixing cap140and ingress and egress receptacle150are attachable to the bottom vessel130in a different manner.

Additionally, the apertures and holes152in the ingress and egress receptacle150may be configured in different ways. For example, the apertures and holes152may have coverings, either using tape, plastic, cellophane, plugs, cork or some other method, and these coverings may be removable, such as by pulling or punching them out, once the bait station100is ready for deployment. In another example, the coverings of the apertures and holes152may also comprise sliding mechanisms, so that the covering is a piece that can simply be slid back into the housing110so as to be re-coverable when the bait station100is not in use, enabling the bait station100to be re-sealed and re-used as needed by the user. Additionally, the coverings of the apertures and holes152may provide the ability to place bait components into the same apertures and holes152used by insects102to enter and exit the bait station100, so that the user simply needs to slide the coverings into place and shake the housing110after placing the ingredients therein. In this manner, interior surfaces134of both the bottom vessel130and the ingress and egress receptacle150may be covered with insecticide and/or insecticide-laced bait120.

In a further example, the apertures and holes152in the ingress and egress receptacle150may be opened and closed using a twisting or snapping mechanism. In such an example, coverings are movable by twisting or snapping a portion on the outer surface of the ingress and egress receptacle150. Additionally, these coverings may be opened and closed by twisting or snapping the ingress and egress receptacle150itself. This may be accomplished by twisting or turning or snapping either the entire ingress and egress receptacle150, or a portion thereof.

The bait station100may also be configured so that a user can attach a top ingress and egress receptacle150having one or more apertures and holes152to a bottom vessel130that already contains pre-mixed bait. In such a configuration, the coverings of the one or more apertures and holes152in the ingress and egress receptacle150may be opened and closed by twisting at least a portion of the housing110(or other of the bottom vessel130or the ingress and egress receipt150, or some other component of the housing110) as suggested above.

Many other embodiments of the bait station100are possible and within the scope of the present invention. For example, the bait station100may also be configured so that a user may simply insert a container with pre-mixed bait into a housing comprised of the top ingress and egress receptacle150having one or more apertures and holes152, and the bottom vessel130.

As noted above, one issue with existing prior art bait station solutions is that different types of insects are attracted to different types of bait, and it is often difficult to discern what type of bait will work best for the type of insect the user would like to control. In one embodiment of the present invention, multiple variations (or different types) of bait120may be placed into the same bait station100at the same time. By including multiple types of bait120in the same housing110, the same bait station100can attract multiple species of insects102(for example, different types of yellow jackets that are attracted to different types of bait120).

In this embodiment, the bait station100enables multiple/distinct kinds of baits120(seafood-based bait, chicken-based bait, etc.) to be placed therein, separated in a way to allow insects102such as yellowjackets to be attracted to each bait120. Exemplary methods of performing such separations include forming the housing110into two or more compartments, sections, or levels (illustrated in the cross-sectional view of the bottom vessel130inFIG. 7as compartments170and172) thereby allowing two or more different kinds of bait120.

Insecticide-laced bait is not always taken back to the nests of insects, for several reasons. Insects may be attracted to the bait and enter the bait station, but may not grab the bait to take back to their nest. This may happen, for example, because the bait is too small, the insect has already eaten from another food source and is not as hungry, or because too many insects are already inside the bait station, resulting in aggressive behavior and departure without taking bait. As noted above, the present invention enables insecticide-laced residue from mixing the bait120(and some bait itself) to accumulate on the interior surface134of the housing110, causing this residue to come into contact with the bodies or exoskeletons of insects102. This residue remains on the insects102and is transferred back to their nests when they leave the bait station100.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the amount of residue that accumulates on insect bodies in the bait station100and may be increased to improve the chances of insecticide being taken back to nests, by pre-coating the interior surface134of a housing110with a particular insecticide(s). The interior surface134may be laced with a diluted (or powdered) form of one or more insecticides, so that when insect102such as a yellowjacket enters the bait station100, even if it does not grab food it will rub its body against the insecticide and bring that back into the nest, resulting in a transfer of the insecticide to the nest regardless of whether insect102takes bait120out. In other words, a bait station100of the present invention may include insecticide in the bait120as well as insecticide pre-coated on the inside of the housing110, so that as insects102therein fly their wings and thorax and legs get contaminated with slow-acting insecticide (such as Fipronil).

This may be accomplished in using an applicator, for example a cotton swab or a spray bottle, that applies a diluted version of an insecticide such as Fipronil or Esfenvalerate to all the inside surfaces134of housing110comprising the bait station100. This may also be accomplished by dipping the housing110into an insecticide wash and then sanitizing or removing the insecticide from the outside of the housing110. It may also be accomplished by applying insecticide-laced adhesive fabric or paper to the inside surface134of the housing110.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the housing110may be comprised of an outer container and inner container, where the inner container fits neatly inside of the outer container. The outer container is not laced with insecticide, but the inner container may be prepared by washing in an insecticide bath, and may also contain pre-mixed bait120therein.

Other embodiments of the present invention are configured in particular ways so as much insecticide as possible is deposited onto the bodies, wings, thoraxes, or exoskeletons of insects102. These embodiments make it hard, but not impossible, for insects102such as yellowjackets to exit so that they remain inside the bait station100for as long as possible, all the while rubbing against walls and other obstacles configured inside the housing110, resulting in further contamination of themselves by the bait station100.

In one such configuration, tubes are attached to the apertures or holes152leading into the housing110, so that insects102have a harder time exiting the bait station100once inside. These tubes may themselves be laced with pesticides like Esfenvalerate or Fipronil to add increased surface area and opportunities for contact with insects102as they enter and exit the bait station100. These tubes may have particular shapes, for example a conical shape that is smaller on an inner end inside of the housing110, than on the outer end towards an aperture or hole152, to make it even more difficult for an insect to exit the bait station100.

In another configuration, the housing110includes a container comprised of two or more different departments each having apertures or holes152for entrance or exit. In one example of this embodiment, the container is split into two compartments170and172, a top compartment and a bottom compartment (or, left and right compartments170and172, depending on the configuration). In the top or exterior compartment, there are one or more places for insects102to enter from the outside, and one or more places for the insects102to get into the bottom or interior compartment. The bait120is located in the bottom compartment, and the insects102must travel from the exterior compartment to the interior compartment to access the bait120. One or more of these compartments170and172are laced with insecticide, resulting in the insects102getting more of the poison onto their bodies. The compartments170and172may be separated by a divider(s)132as shown inFIG. 7, and the divider132may likewise by laced with insecticide and/or insecticide residue.

In still another configuration, the housing110may include a maze of tubes that insects102have to traverse to get to the bait120, and again to get out of the bait station100. Such a maze of tubes may be laced with insecticide on their interior surfaces134, so that the insects102come into contact with as much of the insecticide as possible on their way in and out of the bait station100.

In another embodiment, the bait station100is configured as a pre-packaged, do-it-yourself kit. Currently a user must find a protein-based-bait, separately buy the insecticide, measure out the appropriate amounts, mix them all together, and place it directly into a container. This embodiment of the present invention is to pre-mix the bait120together with the insecticide before sealing it inside the housing110, so that it can be preserved and used later. One configuration of such an embodiment is pre- packaged container having insecticide-laced bait120inside it, where the container is sealed for example with foil-covered paper, foil, or plastic packaging (or another like material that is capable of retaining moisture therein). The user opens the sealed packaging material when ready to deploy the bait station100, places it into or attaches it to a container with one or more apertures for insect entry/egress and position the bait station100at the desired location.

Such a pre-packaged bait station100may include, as in other embodiments, a solution comprised of a protein-based bait120mixed with the appropriate amount of slow-acting insecticide. The pre-packaged bait solution may already be inside the housing110, or may be provided separately in an openable package, container or pouch. Alternatively, the bait station100may include a drawer or port, whereby a door on the side of the bait station100can be opened, allowing the pre-packaged bait solution (openable in a separate package, container or pouch) to be placed inside the housing110without having to open the top ingress and egress receptacle150. The drawer or port may further include a small blade attached thereto, whereby when a door on a side of the bait station100is opened, the pre-packaged bait solution is placed therein and the package or pouch is automatically opened so as not to contaminate a user with the insecticide. The drawer or port allows users to easily slide bait in and out of the bait station100.

The present invention may also be configured as a pre-packaged bait container having a “soft” top that is opened by blade or sharp point when the bait container is coupled to another portion, for example the ingress and egress receptacle150, to complete the bait station100. Such a blade or sharp point may therefore be a part of the ingress and egress receptacle150, for example on an inner portion thereof or as part of its thread system. Additionally, the pre-packaged bait container may form the bottom vessel130of the housing110. It is to be understood that the pre-packaged bait container may include multiple, different types of protein baits120each mixed with a slow-acting insecticide and separated in the container by one or more dividers, allowing different varieties of insects102to be placed with poison in the same bait station100at the same time. In a further embodiment, the housing110may be configured with one or more blades and a timing system that mixes pre-packaged bait ingredients within the bait station100at a desired time.

Regardless, the bait station100having a pre-packaged bait container inside the housing110may include a cover, a tab on the outside and connected to the cover, and a small slit. Pulling the tab on the outside of the bait station100removes the cover from the pre-packaged bait container, thereby making the bait120available to the insects102inside the housing110.

The bait station100may also be configured so that pre-packaged bait container is pre-attached as the bottom vessel130, or may be a separate component that attaches to the top ingress and egress receptacle150. Where this is the case, the user opens the bait container and then attaches it to the bait station100. This may be accomplished, as suggested above, by snapping the pre-packaged bait container into the bottom of the ingress and egress receptacle150to complete the bait station100, or by screwing the pre-packaged bait container into the bottom of the ingress and egress receptacle150to complete the bait station100or by placing it into a bait station100with existing holes for entry/egress. This may also be accomplished at some other point than at the bottom the ingress and egress receptacle150.

Other embodiments of the present invention include timing and location devices, which at least in part serve as aids to the pest control industry. For example, pest control personnel often do not know how long a bait station has been deployed, as well as where a bait station is located. In one such embodiment, a bait station100is configured with a digital clock attached to an outside surface thereof. The clock acts as a stopwatch or timer, and may be set to begin counting up once the bait120has been placed into the bait station100, or down from a pre-set time once the bait120has been placed into the bait station100. In another embodiment, a beacon may be attached to a side of the bait station100. The beacon connects to a mobile telephony device, tablet computer, laptop computer, or any other computing device that incorporate software tools such as mobile applications. Upon command from such an application or mobile computing device, the beacon provides an audible alert, notifying pest control personnel of its location. In still another embodiment, global position system (GPS) components may be configured with the bait station100, which let mobile devices know where the bait station100is located. GPS data containing positional coordinates are transmitted from the bait station100, enabling GPS receivers to determine the geographical location of the bait station100.

In still another embodiment, infrared devices may be attached to one or more of the apertures and holes152of a bait station100. Such infrared devices are configured to count the number of insects102that enter and exit the bait station100. These counts may be transmitted to an application resident on a mobile computing device, or may be communicated over a wireless radio transmission link, for example via a Bluetooth® connection using a dongle or other device that is also configured with the bait station100.