BAITS FOR GARDEN PESTS

Abstract: A bait composition for garden pests comprises a poison or toxic chemical, such as metaldehyde, and a consumable carrier material to which the pests are attracted. The metaldehyde and carrier material are mixed with a settable binder, poured into moulds and allowed to set into a solid mass. The moulded composition attracts pests, such as snails, which are killed by consumption of the metaldehyde.

Description: BAITS FOR GARDEN PESTS FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to improvements in baits for garden pests and relates particularly to improved formulations for baits particularly suitable for snail and slug bait and for earwigs. ' BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Most baits for garden pests, such as snails, slugs and the like, consist of an active poison or chemical, which is toxic to the garden pest, mixed with a carrier. Such baits are generally provided in either powder form or in pellets which are produced in a pelletizing machine which compresses the active material and a carrier into pellets of an appropriate size. However, it has been found that the known baits require constant attention and replenishment due to the bait material being dispersed and washed away by rain and water applied to a garden. Further, su h powder and pellet bait material can be and is easily consumed by domestic pets and other animals or birds, often with undesirable consequences. It is therefore desirable to provide an improved formulation of bait for garden pests, such as snails, slugs and the like, which is relatively long lasting and which is less likely to be consumed by other animals or birds. - SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a bait material comprising a consumable carrier material to which the garden pest is attracted, a poison or toxic chemical material and a binder to form a solid consumable mass, said carrier material, toxic material and binder being mixed and moulded together to form a homogeneous mixture whereupon, after setting of the binder, a solid mass of bait material is produced. In one particular form of the invention, the consumable carrier material comprises a cereal product, such as bran, and the poison or toxic chemical material comprises metaldehyde. The metaldehyde may comprise from 0.5 to 10%, by weight, of the total mixture of carrier and chemical material. It- is also preferred that the binder comprises Portland cement which is combined with the carrier and chemical materials in sufficient quantities such that, when water is added, and the mixture is thoroughly mixed and allowed to set, the Portland cement binds the carrier and chemical materials into a solid mass. According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a moulded bait material for garden pests comprising from 65 to 90% by weight of a carrier material selected from the group of cereal products of bran, meal, flour, and germ, or a combination thereof, from 0.5 to 10% by weight of metaldehyde and from 10 to 25% by weight of a cementitious binder, said carrier material, metaldehyde and binder being mixed and placed in a mould to produce, upon setting of the binder, a solid moulded composition. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A bait material in accordance with the present invention consists of an active poison or toxic material, such as metaldehyde, a consumable carrier material, such as wheat bran, oatmeal, oat bran, and a binder which is able to bind the active ingredient and the carrier material into a solid mass substantially unaffected by weather conditions and the like. - The active poison or toxic chemical material, metal¬ dehyde, is combined with the carrier material in the amount of 0.5 to- 10% by weight, based on the weight of the total mixture. Preferably, the amount of the active ingredient is approximately 1 to 2% by weight. The active poison or toxic material and the carrier material are thoroughly mixed and combined with the Portland cement binder in a ratio of about one part of binder to six parts of mixture. Water is added to the combination to cause the cement to react. The wet mixture, prior to setting, is poured into suitable moulds of desired size, the moulds each holding from between 10 gms. and 2 kg. of the mixture depending on the intended end user. Domestic users will generally require relatively smaller sizes than commercial users. The set, moulded composition is of a relatively large size compared with known pellet bait material, which size and the solid nature of the composition acts to restrict its consumption by domestic animals and the like while garden pests such * as snails, slugs and the like are easily able to feed from the moulded composition and are killed by the poison or toxic chemical consumed. It has been found that the bait material of the present invention is relativelylong lasting, is not adversely affected by rain and other water and is relatively economical to manufacture. While the preferred embodiment of the invention uses bran as the consumable carrier material, other carriers include oatmeal and similar cereal products. If desired, a colouring material, such as a vegetable die, can be incorporated into the composition either to act as deterrent to domestic animals or birds or to attract the garden pests to the bait composition. In the manufacture of the bait composition, a binder setting agent, such as calcium chloride, may be added to the wet mixture of metaldehyde, bran and cement to decrease the time of setting of the composition after it is poured into the moulds. 4 The most preferred binder comprises a Portland cement conforming to Australian standard 1315 type A, B or C, or 1316, or 1317, or comprising a fly ash type A cement, fly ' ash type C cement, blast furnace slag type A cement or blast furnace slag type C cement. ' The following examples illustrate embodiments of the invention. Example 1 A mixture of active ingredient and carrier is prepared by slowly mixing 18 gms. of metaldehyde with 1 kg. of commercially available wheat bran. The mixture is slowly stirred to thoroughly mix the metaldehyde with the bran. To the mixture is added 170 gms. Portland cement conforming to Australian standard 1315 type A. The metal- dehyde, bran and cement is thoroughly stirred and water is slowly added to form a thick paste. Before the cement mixture has set, it is poured into cup-shaped moulds each of which holds approximately 60 gm. of mixture, and the mixture is allowed to set in the moulds. On setting, the moulded composition is removed from the mould for use. Example 2 A mixture of 1kg. of oatmeal and 20 gms. of etal- dehyde is prepared by slowly adding the metaldehyde to the oatmeal whilst stirring continuously. To this mixture is added 200 gms. Portland cement and sufficient water to form a wet mixture. A relatively small amount of calcium chloride is added to assist in speeding the setting time of the cement. The wet mixture is poured into 10 elongated moulds each of which holds approximately 125 gm. of mixture. On setting, the moulded composition is removed from the moulds for use.. * The moulded compositions of the Examples were placed around fully exposed garden beds subject to rain and hand watering. The composition was found to be effective in killing snails and slugs which fed from the composition> and the effectiveness of the composition in killing snails and- slugs appeared unaffected by rain and watering. Domestic animals and birds appeared not to be attracted to the moulded composition.

Claims: Claims . 1. A bait material for garden pests comprising a consumable carrier material to which the garden pests are attracted, a chemical material which is poison or toxic to the garden pests, and a settable binder to form a solid consumable mass, said carrier material, toxic material and binder being mixed and moulded together to form a homogeneous mixture whereupon to form a solid mass of composition after setting of the binder. 2. A bait material according to claim 1 wherein said binder comprises Portland cement. 3. A bait material according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said carrier material comprises bran. 4. A bait material according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said chemical material comprises metaldehyde. 5. A moulded bait material for garden pests comprising from 65 to 90% by weight of a carrier material selected from •* the group of cereal products of bran, meal, ' flour, and germ, or a .combination thereof, from 0.5 to 10% by weight of metaldehyde and from 10 to 25% by weight of a cementitious binder, said carrier material, metaldehyde and binder being mixed and placed in a mould to produce, upon setting of the binder, a solid moulded composition. 6. A moulded bait material according to claim 5 wherein said carrier material comprises bran and said cementitious binder comprises Portland cement. 7. - method of producing a bait for garden pests comprising mixing together a carrier material selected from the group of cereal products of bran, meal, flour and germ, or a combination thereof, with a poison or toxic chemical in the amount of between 90 and 99.5% by weight of the carrier material and between 0.5 and 10% by weight of the chemical, adding to the mixture from between 10 and 25% by weight of cement and sufficient water to react with the cement, continuously mixing the components, pouring the wet mixture into moulds, allowing the mixture to set and removing the set composition from the moulds. 8. A method according to claim 7 wherein a cement setting agent is added to the mixture before pouring into the moulds to decrease the cement setting time. 9. A method according to claim 7 wherein said carrier material comprises bran and said poison or toxic chemical comprises metaldehyde.

Inventors: HOTCHIN JOHN HOWARD, HOTCHIN, JOHN, HOWARD
Applicants: HOTCHIN JOHN HOWARD, HOTCHIN, JOHN, HOWARD
Application year: 1985
Main classification: A01N25
IPC codes: A01N25