Method and apparatus for capacitively sensing pests

A capacitive pest monitor apparatus, comprising:

• a) a plurality of capacitive electrodes;
• b) detecting means for detecting changes in the capacitance of the electrodes, the detecting means operatively connected to the capacitive electrodes and arranged and configured to generate a pest detection signal;
• and
• c) event storing means, operatively connected to the detecting means, for storing the pest detection signal as an event, the event storing means arranged and configured to store each event with an indication of the time and date.

A method of detecting the presence of one or more pests by detecting changes in capacitance between a plurality of capacitive electrodes, comprising:

• a) measuring the capacitance of the electrodes;
• b) generating a pest detection signal upon measuring a predetermined change in the measured capacitance;
• and
• c) storing the pest detection signal as an event combined with an indication of the time and date of the event.

A pest reporting system, comprising:

• a) a pest report database;
• b) a plurality of capacitive pest detecting sensors, the capacitive pest detecting sensors associated with respective activity sensing pest devices, the sensors being arranged and configured to determine if a pest is in the area monitored by the sensor and to generate a pest signal,
• c) manual input sensors associated with the respective activity sensing pest devices, the manual input sensors being arranged and configured to accept additional manual input;
• and
• d) a communication device, operatively connected to the capacitive pest detecting sensors and the manual input sensors, for receiving the pest signal and for communicating to the pest report database that a pest signal occurred and the specific activity sensing pest device at which the pest signal occurred, and wherein the pest report database is updated.