AU674904B2

AU674904B2 - Insect feeding station

Info

Publication number: AU674904B2
Application number: AU54957/94A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Claude Paul Genero; Gail Ann Genero
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-02-08
Filing date: 1994-02-08
Publication date: 1997-01-16
Anticipated expiration: 2012-07-10
Also published as: AU5495794A

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT o r

D

s Invention Title: "INSECT FEEDING STATION" r The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- -1- 2 THIS INVENTION is an improvement and modification of an invention relating to an Insect Feeding Station which is the subject of Patent Application No. PCT/AU92/00340 filed July 10, 1992 designating Australia, hereafter referred to as the parent invention.

This improvement relates to the internal structure of the said insect feeding station.

BACKGROUND

The parent invention is directed to an insect feeding 0 station for administering a fluent substance to insects, comprising a housing having an interior region adapted to contain the substance, means for defining an opening in the •..housing through which insects can enter and leave the eoe interior region, and an internal structure within the interior region for facilitating access by the insects to the substance, the internal structure being of a construction which is adapted to at least be partially covered by the substance when the latter is first introduced into the interior region and which is S: 20 progressively exposed as the substance is consumed.

Due to the syrupy nature of some liquid baits it is preferable if the landings provided in the internal structure of the insect feeding station axe of a slender construction in order to inhibit the accumulation of any remaining bait on the landings which could become a sticky or adhesive entrapment for the bodies of dead ants thereby making it difficult for the able ants to remove them from the trap.

-3- DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present improvement to the parent invention seeks to provide lateral protrusions in the form of a plurality of slender rods in order to provide landings to strain the dead bodies from the liquid and at the same time inhibit the accumulation of any remaining bait on the landings which could become an adhesive entrapment for the bodies of dead ants.

Accordingly, in one form the invention resides in an insect feeding station for administering a fluent substance to insects, comprising a housing having an interior region adapted to contain the substance, means for defining an opening in the housing through which insects can enter the *interior region, and an internal structure within the 15 interior region for facilitating access by the insects to the substance, at least part of said internal structure being located within an area in the interior region where in use the substance is contained, said at least part of S6 the internal structure being of a construction which is 20 adapted to be at least partially covered by the substance when the substance is first introduced into the interior region and which is progressively exposed as the level of the substance at which insects feed progressively falls upon consumption of the substance, wherein said at least 25 part of the internal structure provides means for inhibiting the accumulation of bodies of insects in the substance as the latter is consumed, said at least part of the internal structure comprising a plural'ty of slender rods.

In one arrangement, the rods are each mounted at one end on one wall of the interior region and extend towards but terminate inwardly of another wall thereof such that a gap is defined between the free ends of the rods and said another wall.

4 -\b In another arrangement the internal structure is disposed centrally within the interior region. With this arrangement, the slender rods defining the lateral protrusions terminate inwardly of said one wall so that a gap is defined between the protrusions and said one wall in addition to the gap between the protrusions and said another wall.

In yet another arrangement, the rods extend to both said one wall and said another wall. With such an arrangement, there is of course no gap between the internal structure and the walls.

In any of the above arrangements, at least some of the slender rods may be positioned one above another.

S. The internal structure may be removed from the interior 15 region of the insect feeding station. This permits easy cleaning of the internal structure as well as of the interior region. In this arrangement, the internal S. "structure is formed integrally and is inserted into the oleo interior region of the feeding station. The said interior 20 region is adapted to receive the internal structure by means of a provision of grooves or any other suitable means for holding it securely in place.

o *o BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an insect feeding station according to a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a plan view of the insect feeding station of FIG.

1; FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of an insect feeding station according to a second embodiment; FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the housing of an insect feeding station according to a third embodiment; FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of a removable internal structure according to the third embodiment; FIG. 6 is a plan view of an insect feeding station according to a third embodiment with the removable internal structure positioned in the housing.

BEST MODES OF CARIRYING OUT THE INVENTION The various embodiments shown in the drawings are each directed to a feeding station for administering a toxic substance to ants for the purpose of eradicating them. The substance is a toxic liquid comprising a mixture of a slow acting poison and matter which is attractive to ants.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the insect feeding station according to the first embodiment compriegs a housing 11 having a front wall 12 which is transparent and a rear wall 13 spaced apart from the front wall, the rear wall extending upwardly beyond the front wall to provide an 15 exposed rear portion 14. A peripheral wall 15 t nds between the front wall 12 and the rear wall 13. The peripheral wall 15 forms the sides and the bottom 19 of an interior region 21 defined within the housing, the interior region being disposed between the front and rear walls.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the internal structure 43 comprises a plurality of lateral protrusions in the form of slender rods 76. The rods 76 are each mounted at one end on the rear wall 13 and extend towards but terminate inwardly of the front wall 12 such that a gap 77 is defined between the free ends of the rods and the front wall. The gap 77 provides a path which extends along the front wall and along which ants can pass in a relatively unimpeded manner. This allows able ants to retrieve the bodies of dead ants and remove them from the feeding station without being unduly obstructed by the internal structure.

In this embodiment the protrusions are arranged in an array 6 which comprises a series of rows and columns, however any other arrangement is possible.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 3 is similar to the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2 with the exception that the internal structure 43 is disposed centrally within the interior region. With this arrangement, the slender rods defining lateral protrusions 76 terminate inwardly of the rear wall 13 so that a gap 78 is defined between the p-otrusions and the rear wall in addition to the gap 77 between the protrusions and the front wall 12. The internal structure can be supported in position in any suitable manner such as by connector elements (not shown) extending between the rods. The internal structure may be attached in any suitable manner to the peripheral wall 15, the front wall 15 12, the rear wall 13 or any combination of such walls.

Alternatively, said internal structure can be formed integrally and can be removable from the housing for easy cleaning. With this arrangement, said connector elements extending between the rods would be in direct contact with S: 20 the housing and function as spacers which would ensure the correct positioning of the internal structure in the interior region.

0.0* oe The embodiment shown in Figs 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings is somewhat similar to the first embodiment with the exception 25 that the internal structure is removable from the housing.

The housing is provided with two side grooves 143 in which the back portion 144 of the internal structure fits into.

Additionally, the insect feeding station can be provided with removal sections which provide easy access to the interior for cleaning purposes. The removal sections may 7 be of any suitable form such as a removable wall panel or an opening with a removable closure. Where an opening with a removable closure is employed, it is conveniently located on the base of the station so that water can be flushed through the station to effect cleaning.

In another embodiment (not shown), the rods 76 extend to both the front wall 12 and the rear wall 13. With such an arrangement, there is of course no gap between the internal structure and the walls.

In circumstances where ant infestation is extensive, it may be desirable to employ several insect feeding stations.

This may be done by positioning two of the insect feeding stations according to any of the embodiments in spaced apart facing relationship with a bridge portion (not shown) 15 connected to, and extending between, the lwo stations to g* provide a free standing unit. Preferably the bridge portion extends between the upper parts of the two stations and provides a cover to afford protection against the elements.

There are possible arrangements other than the cover 61 for protection against the elements. One such arrangement would be a canopy portion (not shown) supported on the exposed portion 14 of the rear wall 13 or as an integral part of said rear wall and extending forwTardly so as to overlie the open top end of the upper chamber. The canopy may also extend downwardly to terminate at a location spaced outwardly and downwardly of the upper edge of the front wall 12.

Finally, it should be appreciated that the scope of the invention is not limited to the scope of the various embodiments described.

Claims

8- The claims defining the invention are as follows: 1. An insect feeding station for administering a fluent substance to insects, comprising a housing having an interior region adapted to contain the substance, means for defining an opening in the housing through which insects can enter the interior region, and an internal structure within the interior region for facilitating access by the insects to the substance, at least part of said internal structure being located within an area in the interior region where in use the substance is contained, said at least part of the internal structure being of a construction which is adapted to je at least partially covered by the substance when the substance is Nfirst introduced into the interior region and which is progressively exposed as the level of the substanve at which insects feed progressively falls upon consumption of the substance, wherein said at least part of the internal structure provides means for inhibiting the accumulation of bodies of insects in the substance as the latter is consumed, said at least part of the internal structure comprising a plurality of slender rods. 2. An insect feeding station according to claim 1 wherein said slender rods extend towards a wall of said interior region and have respective free ends terminating inwardly of said wall whereby a gap is defined between said wall and said rods. 3. An insect feeding station according to claim 2 wherein the slender rods are mounted at the ends thereof opposite said free ends on a further wall of the interior region. 4. An insect feeding station according to claim 1 wherein the interior region is defined between a pair of R opposed walls and wherein the slender rods extend towards and terminate inwardly of said opposed walls. 9 An insect feeding station according to claim 1 wherein the interior region is defined between a pair of opposed walls and wherein the slender rods extend between and are mounted on the opposed walls. 6. An insect feeding station according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein at least some of the slender rods are positioned one above another. 7. An insect eeding station according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the internal structure is integrally formed and is selectively removable from the housing. 8. An insect feeding station according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein a canopy portion is supported on the exposed portion of the rear wall or as an integral part of said rear wall and extending forwardly so as to overlie the open top end of the housing.
9. An insect feeding station according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein said canopy extends downwardly to terminate at a location spaced outwardly and downwardly of the upper edge of the front wall. 0
10. A device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. CLAUDE PAUL GENERO and GAIL ANN GENERO (Name of Applicants) September 3, 1996 (Date) _I C~ ABSTRACT An insect feeding station (10) for administering a fluent substance such as a poisonous liquid bait to ants and other insects. The feeding station (10) comprises a housing (1i) having an interior region (21) adapted to contain the fluent substance. The housing (10) has an opening (27) through which insects can enter and leave the interior region and an internal structure (43) within the interior region (21) for facilitating access by the insects to the substance. The internal structure (43) being comprised of lateral protrusions in the form of a plurality of slender rods (76) is of a ccnstruction which is adapted o to at least be partially coverea by the substance when the latter is first introduced into the interior region (21) and which is progressively exposed as the substance is consumed. With this arrangement, the portion of the internal structure which is exposed provides a zone away from the liquid bait for supporting the bodies of dead insects. Thus the bodies are "dry-docked" on the internal structure from where they can be retrieved. 0O o