Pest control devices, methods, and apparatus

Abstract

Described are devices and methods for pest control, including devices useful to place pest control devices at locations of use such as at a crop (e.g., at a branch of a tree), certain embodiments of devices including a capsule and a tether that can become tangled or caught in a tree or other crop location.

1 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . A pest control device comprising:
 a capsule comprising opposing capsule segments,   a tether comprising two ends, each end connected to an opposing capsule segment,   the capsule segments being capable of being engaged in a deployable state,   the capsule segments capable of being separated to an attachment state wherein the capsule segments are attached by the tether,   the pest control device comprising a pest trap, a pest control active agent, or both.   
     
     
         8 . A device according to  claim 7  wherein the pest control device comprises a pest control active agent. 
     
     
         9 . A device according to  claim 7  wherein the pest control device comprises a pest trap and pest attractant. 
     
     
         10 . A device according to  claim 7  wherein the capsule comprise a cylindrical base capsule segment and a rounded cap capsule segment, the cylindrical base capsule segment comprising a cylinder and a bottom. 
     
     
         11 . A device according to  claim 10  wherein the bottom comprises an aperture. 
     
     
         12 . A device according to  claim 7  wherein the capsule comprises a male slide engagement and a female slide engagement. 
     
     
         13 . Two devices according to  claim 12 , each device comprising a male slide engagement and a female slide engagement, the two devices being connectable and separable at the slide engagements by relative movement in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of a capsule. 
     
     
         14 . A device according to  claim 7  comprising a trap, the trap comprising adhesive, attractant, or adhesive and attractant. 
     
     
         15 . A device according to  claim 7  comprising pesticide. 
     
     
         16 . A method of placing a pest control device, the method comprising:
 providing a pest control device according to  claim 7 ,   with the pest control device in a deployable state, propelling the device toward a plant,   
       wherein the device takes on an attachment state and attaches to the plant. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16 , comprising
 providing a launcher comprising a barrel and a source of pressurized gas,   placing the pest control device at one end of the barrel,   injecting pressurized gas into the barrel to propel the pest control device through the barrel and out an open end of the barrel.   
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17  wherein the pest control device is a capsule comprising a slide engagement for attachment to another capsule. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18  comprising launching a series of capsules attached together by slide engagements, the capsules being fed sequentially into the barrel and launched through the barrel, a capsule becoming disengaged from an adjacent capsule by sliding movement upon launching. 
     
     
         20 . A method of  claim 19  wherein the capsule comprises a base capsule segment and a cap capsule segment, the base capsule segment comprises a bottom having an aperture, wherein the method comprises injecting gas into the barrel to propel the capsule along the length of the barrel and out the open end, and the pressurized gas also enters the capsule through the aperture to create a positive pressure within the capsule to separate the base capsule segment from the cap capsule segment. 
     
     
         21 - 23 . (canceled)