An ant exterminating apparatus operates to exterminate an ant colony using a energy producing element secured within a housing. The ant exterminating apparatus further includes a cover that is pivotally attached to a base plate. The cover is pivotable between an open position and a closed position, and an energy producing element is affixed to the cover to quickly generate radiation or heat energy between the cover and the base plate upon command of either the user or a conventional timing device. Bait is placed within the housing to attract the worker ants, and the energy producing element is activated periodically. The energy producing element will raise the body temperature of the ants such that the ants will die while feeding on the bait or soon thereafter, thereby destroying the colony.
CLAIM OF PRIORITY
The present patent application is a continuation-in-part patent application filed under 37 C.F.R. 1.53(b), claiming benefit from patent application Ser. No. 10/236,445, filed on Sep. 5, 2002 now abandoned, which further claims benefit from Provisional Application No. 60/317,075, filed on Sep. 5, 2001.
A method includes a burning step, a cleaning step, a drugging step, a covering step, and a sealing step to effectively exterminate insect pests inside and outside an ant mound. Specifically, the ant mound is intermittently burnt with flame to kill the insect pests that run out of the ant mound in batches. The ant mound is then removed to expose outlets of ant channels. Next, pharmaceuticals are placed in and surround the outlets of the ant channels. A container is then placed on top of and covers the outlets of the ant channels. The container is sealed to isolate the interior of the container from the exterior of the container, avoiding leakage of gasified pharmaceuticals and preventing entrance of ambient fresh air into the container. Sunlight transmitting the container gasifies the pharmaceuticals in the container, and gasified pharmaceuticals flow into deep channels to kill the insect pests.
A system and method for nematode extermination in lawns using an array of insulated heat blankets (2) placed on the lawn, and energized in a controlled sequence to raise the soil temperature to an effective degree and depth to exterminate nematodes. An electric current controller such as a programmable logic controller (PLC) activates a first subset of the blankets (2) until they reach an upper setpoint temperature, then maintains the blanket temperature within a desired range with reduced current while activating additional blankets. The heat penetrates the soil over a period of about 20 to 50 hours to raise the temperature to at least about 52.degree. C. (125.degree. F.) at a sufficient depth such as at least 12 cm (4.7 inches) to kill at least most nematodes.
