Pest control system and method

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 the 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.

A pest control system maintenance method, the pest control system comprising a system housing located in an predetermined area, and a container having a bait material therein and being insertable into and removeable from the system housing, at least a portion of the container being constructed of an environmentally degradable plastic, the bait material having a predetermined useful life following placement of the container into the system housing, the method comprising:

• inserting the container, with bait material therein, into the system housing to initiate an environmental degradation schedule for the container and recording the date on which the container is inserted into the container;
• intermittently inspecting the container to determine whether the bait material needs replacement due to the bait material being reduced by pests;
• replacing the container, with bait material therein, with a new container, with new bait material therein, upon determining that the bait material needs replacement due to the bait material being reduced by pests;
• replacing the container and bait material with a new container and bait material if intermittent inspection does not result in replacement due to the bait material being reduced by pests and the container degrading a predetermined amount;
• and
• replacing the container and bait material with a new container and bait material if intermittent inspection does not result in replacement due to the bait material being reduced by pests and a time period within about six months of the predetermined useful life of the bait material having passed.