Patent ID: 8215052

Claim:
A method for at least one of monitoring and controlling pests, the method comprising: locating a container, having an internal chamber, in an area in which pests are to be at least one of monitored and controlled, at least a portion of the container being constructed from an environmentally degradable plastic constructed to be degraded at least about 50 percent by an end of a predetermined period of time following placement of the container in said area, said container containing at least one of a monitoring material and a bait material within its internal chamber; inspecting the container at least once prior to said end of the predetermined time period to determine whether pests are present within the container; and replacing the container along with said at least one of the monitoring material and the bait material no later than about six months beyond said end of the predetermined time period following placement of the container in said area, wherein said at least one of the monitoring material and the bait material has a predetermined useful life following placement of the container in said area, said predetermined period of time being within about six months of the predetermined useful life of said at least one of the monitoring material and the bait material.