Methods and apparatus for pest monitoring or control

An apparatus for monitoring or controlling pests comprising:

• a plurality of housings, each having an exterior surface and defining an interior chamber and a plurality of orifices disposed between the exterior surface and the interior chamber;
• connecting means for connecting each of the housings to at least one other of the housings such that at least two of the housings are in communication through their orifices so that the interior chambers of those housings are in communication with each other wherein the at least two housings which are in communication with each other through their respective communicating orifices each have an exterior surface which contacts an exterior surface of another housing and the at least two housings are either in a stacked configuration or side-by-side configuration;
• mounting means for mounting the exterior surface of at least one of the housings to a mounting surface proximate to the pests such that at least one of the orifices is disposed adjacent to the mounting surface;
• and
• at least one cover for essentially covering each orifice which would otherwise remain uncovered if not for the presence of a cover.

An apparatus for monitoring or controlling pests comprising:

• a plurality of housings including a primary housing and at least one secondary housing, each housing having a first exterior surface and a second exterior surface and defining an interior chamber, a first orifice disposed between the first exterior surface and the interior chamber, and a second orifice disposed between the second exterior surface and the interior chamber;
• mounting means for mounting the first exterior surface of the primary housing to a mounting surface proximate to the pests to be monitored or controlled so that the interior chamber defined by the primary housing is in communication with the mounting surface through the first orifice defined by the primary housing;
• connecting means for connecting each of the secondary housings to at least one other of the housings such that the first exterior surface of each secondary housing contacts the second exterior surface of another secondary housing or the primary housing so that the first orifice of each secondary housing is in communication with the second orifice of the housing to which it is connected and the interior chambers of connected housings are in communication with each other;
• and
• a cover for covering the second exterior surface of the secondary housing which does not have its secondary exterior surface in contact with an exterior surface of another housing.

A method for monitoring or controlling pests comprising the steps of:

• placing a pest-edible matrix into at least one of a plurality of interior chambers, each of the interior chambers being defined within one of a plurality of housings, each housing having an exterior surface and defining a plurality of orifices disposed between the exterior surface and the interior chamber;
• connecting the housings together whereby at least some of the orifices are at least partially aligned together and the interior chambers adjacent to the at least partially aligned orifices are disposed in communication with each other;
• mounting the exterior surface of at least one of the housings to a mounting surface proximate to the pests so that at least one of the orifices is disposed adjacent to the mounting surface;
• and
• mounting a plurality of covers on the housings to essentially cover at least some of the orifices which are not in direct communication with other orifices of other housings or disposed adjacent to the mounting surface.

A method for monitoring or controlling pests comprising the steps of:

• placing a pest-edible matrix into at least one of a plurality of interior chambers, each of the interior chambers being defined within one of a plurality of housings including a primary housing and at least one secondary housing, each housing having a first exterior surface and a second exterior surface and defining a first orifice disposed between the first exterior surface and the interior chamber and a second orifice disposed between the second exterior surface and the interior chamber wherein the first exterior surface of a housing is connectable to the second exterior surface of another housing;
• mounting the first exterior surface of the primary housing to a mounting surface proximate to the pests so that the interior chamber of the primary housing is in communication with the mounting surface through the first orifice defined by the primary housing;
• connecting each secondary housing to at least one other housing so that an exterior surface of each secondary housing is in contact with an exterior surface of a housing to which it is connected and the interior chambers of connected housings are in communication with each other;
• and
• covering any exterior surface which is not in communication with the exterior surface of another housing, or with a mounting surface, with a cover.

A method for monitoring or controlling pests comprising the steps of:

• placing a pest-edible matrix into at least one of a plurality of interior chambers, each of the interior chambers being defined within one of a plurality of housings including a primary housing and a plurality of interchangeable secondary housings, each housing being formed of a durable material, having a first exterior surface and a second exterior surface, and defining a first orifice disposed between the first exterior surface and the interior chamber and a second orifice disposed between the second exterior surface and the interior chamber;
• mounting the first exterior surface of the primary housing to a mounting surface proximate to pests so that the interior chamber of the primary housing is disposed in communication with the mounting surface through the first orifice defined by the primary housing;
• connecting each of the secondary housings to at least one other of the housings such that an exterior surface of the secondary housing contacts an exterior surface of the housing to which it is connected whereby the first orifice of each connected secondary housing is at least partially aligned with the second orifice of a housing to which it is connected so that the interior chambers adjacent to the at least partially aligned orifices are in communication with each other, and whereby a second exterior surface of one of the housings is not in direct communication with an exterior surface of another housing or disposed adjacent to the mounting surface, thereby forming a stack of secondary housings capable of detachable connection to the primary housing, disassembly and reassembly with relative position of the secondary housings within the stack being changeable;
• and
• mounting a cover formed of a durable material to cover any exterior surface and the orifice disposed therein which otherwise would be uncovered because the exterior surface is not connected to the exterior surface of another housing or disposed adjacent to the mounting surface.

A method for monitoring or controlling pests comprising the steps of:

• placing a pest-edible matrix into at least one of a plurality of interior chambers, each of the interior chambers being defined within one of a plurality of housings formed of a durable material and having a first exterior surface and a second exterior surface and defining a first orifice disposed between the first exterior surface and the interior chamber and a second orifice disposed between the second exterior surface and the interior chamber;
• attaching the first exterior surface of at least two of the housings to a mounting surface proximate to the pests so that the interior chamber defined by each of the housings mounted to the mounting surface is disposed in communication with the mounting surface through the first orifice of each of the housings;
• and
• connecting the second exterior surface of at least one of the housings to the first exterior surface of at least one other of the housings whereby at least two of the interior chambers are in communication with each other.