The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 02, 1993
Filed:
Aug. 23, 1990
David W Miller, Amherst, MA (US);
Fernando Agudelo-Silva, San Francisco, CA (US);
Haim B Gunner, Amherst, MA (US);
Vanessa F LeFevre, Northampton, MA (US);
Meir Broza, Haifa, IL;
EcoScience Corporation, Worcester, MA (US);
Abstract
A method for control and extermination of flying insects, especially the housefly, by infection of the insects with an entomopathogenic fungus, preferably soil-dwelling fungi, by means of an infection chamber. The chamber maintains the spores of a fungus pathogenic to the insects in a viable form, serves as an attractant for the insects, and serves to inoculate the insects with high numbers of spores. The spores attach to the insects and originate germ tubes that penetrate into the insect, resulting in death within three to four days. The chamber design, i.e., shape and color, can be the sole attractants for the insects. Alternatively, food or scents can be used to further enhance the attraction of the insects for the chamber. Although the primary means of infection is by external contact with the fungal growth, the insects may also be infected by contact with each other and by ingestion of the spores.