RAT-CONTROL METHODS · RAT-CONTROL METHODS INTRODUCTION Modernrat-controlmethods...
Transcript of RAT-CONTROL METHODS · RAT-CONTROL METHODS INTRODUCTION Modernrat-controlmethods...
RAT-CONTROLMETHODS
Mifini Biological laboratory
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RAT-CONTROLMETHODS
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CIRCULAR 13
Fish and Wildlife Service, Albert M. Day, Director
United States Department of the Interior, J. A. Krug, Secretary
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1 948
For sale by the Superiiilendcnt of Documents, U. S. Governnieut rrintiinf Otiice
Wiishiiijiton 25, D. C. - Price 5 cents
RAT-CONTROLMETHODS
INTRODUCTION
Modern rat-control methodsare less a matter of startling newtechniques than thorough appli-
cation of all principles involved.
Merely destroying a few rats hereand there does not begin to solve
the problem, for man has beenkilling rats for centuries withouthalting the spreading of these ob-noxious pests. Fortunately, weare becoming more and moreaware of the deadly effect ratshave upon our everyday existence.In thus becoming more rat con-scious, we have an ever-increas-
ing possibility of gaining controlof one of the greatest spreadersof disease, death, and destructionthe world has ever known (fig. 1)
.
Permanent control is the onlysatisfactory solution of the ratproblem. Sporadic campaigns to
destroy rats, although often ef-
fective in reducing the numbersfor a short period, must be re-
peated again and again, with little
likelihood of achieving long-last-
ing results. Any program, to besuccessful, must incorporate thesefour major phases of control : De-
Figure I.—The house rat—spreader of destruction, disease, and death.
struction of rats, elimination of
rat harborages, elimination of
food supply for rats, and rat-
proofing of buildings. Further-
more, such a program should re-
ceive attention at all times of the
year. Once initial success has
been attained, maintenance is es-
sential, or conditions will soon
revert to their former status. Aconstant watch must be main-tained to repel new invaders as
quickly as they appear. Completeand wholehearted cooperation of
all concerned, public and private,
is the keystone to a successful
program.
USE OF POISONS
The most efficient means of ef-
fecting wholesale destruction of
rats is the use of poisons, or ro-
denticides, as they are called.
Poisons that are deadly for onewarm-blooded animal, however,are also more or less poisonous to
others. Human beings, pets, anddomestic animals must be pro-
tected against accidental poison-
ing. Care must be observed in
handling the materials and everyprecaution taken to avoid contam-inating foodstuffs. The poisonthat best fits the conditions underwhich it is to be used should bechosen.
POISONS FOR GENERAL USE
For general use those poisonsshould be selected that can be usedby the average person withoutdifficulty, providing instructionsare followed and proper precau-tions taken at all times. Theseinclude red squill, ANTU, andzinc phosphide.
Red Squill
Red squill is obtained from thebulb of a lily-like plant that growsin the Mediterranean region. It
has the peculiar advantage over
other poisons of containing anemetic agent that causes vomitingin most animals other than rats
and thereby the poison is elimi-
nated. Furthermore, it has adisagreeable taste, so that manyanimals will not touch it. ISTever-
theless, it is a poison and should
be treated as such.
Red squill, as imported, lacks
uniform toxicity and often mayprove to be an unreliable rat
poison unless it has been broughtup to uniform strength by anextraction process. Purchasersshould insist upon obtaining redsquill that has a guaranteed mini-mum toxicity not to exceed 500mg/kg (500 milligrams of thetoxic element to a kilogram of
body weight of the rat). Themost satisfactory results are ob-
tained when the poison is mixedwith the bait material in the pro-
portion of one to nine ; that is, theresulting mixture should contain10 percent red squill. When drycereal is used as the base, the redsquill should be added to thedry ingredients and the mixturestirred thoroughly before wateris added. When meat or fish is
used, a thin paste of red squill andwater is> prepared, care beingtaken to avoid lumping, and this
is then blended with the bait
material.
ANTU
ANTU is the abbreviated namefor the chemical alphanaphthyl-thiourea, which is highly toxic to
the common brown, or Norway,rat, but much less so to the black
and other forms of climbing rats.
For this reason ANTU is not rec-
ommended for general use in
areas in which the climbing rats
predominate, as in the SouthernStates. ANTU is a grayish-
white powder, insoluble in water,chemically stable, and nonirritat-
ing to the skin of human beings.
It kills rats by causing an accu-
mulatioii of body lluids within thechest cavity, literally drowningthe animals.Dogs and other pets, pigs, and
day-old chickens are easily killed
by ANTU. Although many otherdomestic animals are more resist-
ant to this poison, all precautionsshould be taken to prevent chil-
dren, pets, domestic animals, orfoodstuffs from coming in contactwith it.
Most effective results are ob-tained when ANTU is used in foodbaits in a concentration of ly^
percent. It is essential that acomplete coverage be made whenbaiting with this poison. Ratsreceiving less than a lethal dosebuild up a tolerance as well as astrong dislike for the material.Operations with ANTU shouldnot be conducted at intervals ofless than 4 to 6 weeks. Hence, in
a permanent control program in
which ANTU is used, it shouldbe alternated with some other ef-
fective rodenticide.
Zinc Phosphide
Zinc phosphide is highly toxic
to all forms of animal life, andgreat care must be exercised in its
use. It is a dark gray powder,insoluble in water, and has astrong pungent odor character-istic of phosphorous compounds.Although this poison is well ac-cepted by rats, the odor is, to someextent, unattractive to some ani-mals. Zinc phosphide deterio-
rates rather rapidly, hence baits
treated with it are relatively non-toxic after being exposed severaldays to the open air. For longer-lasting effects, the baits should bewrapped in waxed paper. Asfats and oils increase the absorp-tion of phosphorus in the body,baits composed of these materialsgive the best results. A smallquantity of bacon fat or mineraloil added to the bait mixture willusually prove satisfactory, as well
as make it easier to blond the mix-ture. A 1-percent concentrationof zinc phosphide should be usedin the baits.
A number of deaths among hu-man beings have occurred frommisuse of phosphorous poisons.In view of the hazards involved,the use of other types of phos-phorous compounds and mixturesof the pure element is not encour-aged.
POISONS FOR SPECIAL USE
Poisons consisting of highlytoxic substances that are ex-tremely dangerous to all forms ofanimal life should be used only bytrained professional operators.
Sodium Fiuoroacetate or
Compound Ten-Eishty
Sodium fiuoroacetate or com-pound ten-eighty is not sold on theopen market. Its use is restricted
to insured pest-control operatorsand to qualified Government tech-nicians. There is no antidote forthis poison. It is so toxic thatmerely one-half ounce is mixed in
a gallon of water to make a drink-ing bait, and a single sip of this
preparation will kill a rat. Fur-thermore, the poison does not dis-
integrate upon being swallowed.A cat or a dog that eats dead ordying rats that have received thispoison will also be killed. Be-cause of this danger of secondarypoisoning, compound ten-eightyshould not be exposed indiscrimi-nately out-of-doors or in placeswhere pets or domestic animalsare kept. Use of this material,except by trained individuals, is
not recommended.
Thallium Sulphate
Thallium sulphate is anotherdeadly substance not recommend-ed for general use. Although notso toxic as compound ten-eighty,it is tasteless and is readily ac-
cepted by rats. It possesses all
the hazards of ten-eighty, and in
addition it is cumulative and is
capable of being absorbed throughthe skin. Operators handling'thallium sulphate should alwayswear gloves. Its use should berestricted to trained technicians.
PREPARATION OF BAITS
Rats are omnivorous; that is,
they will eat almost any kind of
food available. Like human be-
ings, some individual rats havedefinite preferences which mustbe catered to, but, generally speak-ing, bait materials consist of ce-
reals, meats, fish, cheese, fruits,
and vegetables. Any or all of
these may be acceptable at anygiven time. Often a change in thekind of food ofi'ered will producethe greatest success. If the ratshave been eating poultry feed,
baits with a meat or a fish basemay yield the best results. Onthe other hand, occasionally ratswill refuse to touch a food theyare not accustomed to eating.
More important than the mate-rials used, however, is the properpreparation of the baits. Toomuch poison in the mixture is justas harmful as too little, for ac-ceptance will be cut down. If thepoison is not thoroughly mixedwith the bait material, some partsof the bait will have too strong aconcentration of the poison, whileothers will have too weak a one toproduce results.
Bait material in small lots, upto a pound or two, can be mixedreadily by hand, with a largespoon or paddle, in a mixing bowl,pail, or similar container. Articlesused in mixing poisons should beused for that purpose only andkept separate from all other uten-sils. They should be labeled"POISON." Larger lots of baitmaterial are more easily mixed
mechanically. A table-model elec-
tric mixer will mix up to about 10pounds of bait material at a time,
a floor model 50 pounds with ease.
Mechanical mixing saves laborand results in a more uniform mixthan that produced by the handmethod. The ingredients shouldbe weighed carefully to insure theproper proportions. No guesswork should be allow^ed. Onlyenough bait for use on the sameday as prepared or within a 24-
hour period should be mixed atone time. Baits are most accept-able when fresh. A week's supplyshould not be made up at one time.
PLACEMENT OF BAITS
Of greater importance than thekind of bait used, is the properplacement of the material (fig. 2)
.
Rats seek shelter and protectionin their movements as far as pos-sible. Baits placed in rat travel-
ways and harborages are far morelikely to be found and sampledthan those exposed in the open.Proper placement is necessary also
from the standpoint of safety, if
children, pets, and domestic ani-
mals are to be protected from ex-posure to the poisons. Baits shouldbe placed under cover wheneverpossible. An old board or a boxcan be leaned against a barn wall
to cover a runway. A permanentbait station for exposing the poi-
soned baits can be made from aninverted box with two 2- by 3-
inch holes cut in each end. Thishas the added attraction of pro-
viding harborage when trash piles
or other rat shelters are cleanedup. In any event, baits should beplaced where rats are and wherethey are moving, and not merelyscattered anywhere at the conven-ience of the person exposing them.Of equal importance is the dis-
tribution of enough bait. It is
better to put out more than is
deemed strictly necessary. The
PI I lillllll llfMpPWIilpi I
I III I
Figure 2.—Place poisoned baits where rats regularly travel.
baits should be made into smallballs about the size of a walnut ora marble. Care to prevent theodor of the hands from remainingabout the baits or the station neednot be taken, as rats are familiarwith human scent. Sometimes it
may be desirable to wrap the baits
in a small piece of tissue or waxedpaper. This can be done simplyby cutting- the paper into 4-inchsquares, then folding one squareover each bait and twisting theends. This will keep some baitsfresh over a longer period. It also
provides a convenient means ofhandling dry bait mixtures, andaffords greater protection to otheranimals. The main objection to
this method is that the rats will
often carry the torpedoes, as theyare called, back to their nests butwill not eat them. When it is
desirable that the poisoned baits
should not be carried away, a drymixture, as corn meal or a feedmixture, may be used and placedin a shallow tray beneath a bait
station.
PREBAITING
The most satisfactory results
from poisoning operations are ob-
tained when areas to be treatedare prebaited. This consists ofexposing fresh, unpoisoned bait
materials prepared exactly as thepoisoned baits will be later exceptfor omission of the poison. Pre-baiting will indicate which foodswill be most readily accepted,
where baits will best be taken, andhow much material will be con-sumed at a feeding. Often it will
prove satisfactory in stubbornpoisoning operations, or in caseswhere previous poisonings have
been unsuccessful. It is a simple
procedure, and the extra time thusspent is well worthwhile.
All sources of food for rats
should be removed, particular at-
tention being given to such itemsas garbage cans, stored foods,
grain bins, and exposed crates
of fruits and vegetables. Trash,
piled materials, or other nonfooditems should be left where theyare until after the baiting hasbeen completed. Runways or bur-rows should not be blocked, as this
might arouse the suspicion of therats or cause them to move.
It is best to use at least threekinds of food baits so selected asto give the rats a choice of moistor dry foods. The followingclasses, many of the items ofwhich may be obtained from or-
dinary kitchen scraps, are sug-gested:
Meat: Ground lean beef, beefmelts, liver, sausage, bacon,chicken entrails, or cannedmeat.
Fish: Fresh ground raw fish,
canned fish, or cat food.
Cereals: Bread crumbs, rolled
oats, corn meal, or chickenmash.
Vegetables: Sliced tomatoes,green corn, carrots, or lettuce.
Fruits: Cantaloups, watermelons,bananas, or apples.
Miscellaneous : Peanut butter,sweet chocolate, dried milk, orraw eggs.
Expose the different kinds ofbait to be tested in teaspoonfulquantities side by side in all spotswhere rats may be likely to feedupon them. Place baits late in theafternoon or early in the evening,treating the entire area to be cov-ered. Protect the baits from in-
terference by cats, dogs, or per-sons. Observe the results thefollowing morning, noting themost acceptable bait, locationswlier^ the bait was taken, and the
quantity of bait consumed. Theexact locations of the most fa-
vored baits should be noted care-fully, as it is there that the poi-
soned baits should be placed later.
Remove all uneaten baits. If nobaits should be taken readily,skip two nights and then repeatthe operations with other baitsuntil an attractive one is found.When the most acceptable bait
has been determined, continue theprebaiting with this material fortwo or three nights in successionto accustom all rats to baits andlocations before adding the poison.
Be sure to place the poisoned baitsin the same spots as the acceptedprebaits.
USE OF POISONOUS GASES
Control of rats by means ofpoisonous gases includes the fu-
migation of buildings and struc-
tures, and the gassing of burrows.The fumigation of buildings re-
quires considerable preparationand special techniques. It shouldbe attempted only by personstrained for such work, and in
many areas the use of poisonousgases is controlled by local regu-lations. In view of the many haz-ards and complications involved,its use in rat control, except byprofessionals, is not generallyrecommended.The gassing of rat burrows out-
of-doors is an excellent means ofcontrol (fig. 3). Many rats aredestroyed under ground, so thereis no problem of the disposal ofthe carcasses. Gas has the advan-tage over poisons of destroyingthe flea and mite parasites as well,
a factor of considerable impor-tance in controlling the spread ofsome diseases.
The gas most commonly used in
rat control is calcium cyanide, in
a dust or finely powdered form.It is easily exposed by means of afoot, or stirrup, pump, designed
particularly for the purpose. Thenozzle of the hose is inserted inthe burrow, the rest of the open-ing sealed with earth, and five orsix strokes of the pump handleprovide the initial distribution.If gas is seen escaping from other
holes, these, too, should be sealed,or the rats will escape. The valveon the bottom of the pump is thenswitched over to "air," and thegas is forced through the entireburrow system. Burrows thathave been gassed should always
nr ^
Figure 3.—Calcium cyanide is forced into rot burrows outside of buildings with a special stirruppump, OS one means of killing rats.
be broken up with a pick or a
shovel the next day and the earth
tamped down tightly. The re-
maining rats will reopen the bur-
rows, and these can thus be de-
tected and re-treated until all ac-
tivity ceases. This method should
not be employed to treat burrowsin dirt-floored basements or along-
side foundation walls where en-
trance to houses is gained.
Calcium cyanide is a deadly poi-
son and should be used out-of-
doors where it is quickly dissi-
pated in the open air. Avoidbreathing the fumes. Alwayspump air through the hose before
storing it. The use of calcium
cyanide should be curtailed dur-
ing freezing or rainy weather.
Carbon monoxide, introduced
into rat burrows by means of a
hose attached to the exhaust of agasoline motor, has also been used
with a fair degree of success.
About 5 minutes running time to
a burrow will usually suffice. Ascarbon monoxide is not so swift
acting as calcium cyanide, it re-
quires more gas and longer time
to take effect.
Carbon dioxide, in the form of
dry ice, has been found useful
in fumigating refrigerated ware-houses where low temperaturesmust be maintained to prevent
food spoilage. The ice is crushedand distributed through the room.An electric fan will speed up thedispersal of the gas. Carbon di-
oxide is used in about a 15-percentconcentration, or 30 pounds to
1,000 cubic feet of space, for 24-
hour exposure. It has the advan-tage of being much safer to han-dle than are the highly toxic
forms of gas.
Other types of poisonous gasesare not recommended for generaluse in rat control.
USE OF TRAPS
In trapping rats the properplacement of the trap is far moreimportant than the selection of abait. Rats follow natural run-ways whenever possible, runningalong walls and stacked materials,rather than crossing a room in theopen. Their instinct for stealthand desire for protection causethem to pass behind anythingthat is placed or is leaning againsta wall. The best baited trap will
rarely entice a rat into the middleof a room, but, on the other hand,a rat will frequently pass over atrap placed along a wall ratherthan detour wide into the open.
Despite its reputation, cheeseis not an infallible bait. Baconstrips, a piece of fresh fish, orbacon-scented oatmeal is better.
Such baits should be tied firmly
to the trigger of the trap to pre-
vent their being taken withoutspringing the trap. Dead rats
sliould not be left to decay in thetrap. If this should happen, how-ever, the trap should be scaldedwith boiling water before reusing,
but care need not be taken to pre-
vent human or rat odors fromremaining about the trap. Afreshly killed rat in a trap will notfrighten other rats away, fre-
quently they will even feed uponit. Nor is it necessary to throwa trap away once a rat has beencaught in it. If blood or entrails
adhere to the trap, they should bescraped off before using it again.
The longer a trap is in use, themore likely it is that a rat will
approach it.
It is not always necessary to
use baited traps. The trigger
surface of an ordinary snap trap
may be enlarged by using a squareof cardboard or a piece of tin, the
entire trigger half of the trap be-
ing thus made a treadle (fig. 4).
A square of corrugated paper.
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**i
XSmcors caused by rots
swinging otound roHctTrop noilcd to side of
imDirty smeai couscd by rof
.imbing
Trap noiled to studding
ocross poth of rot
Figure 7.—Traps should be nailed to walls where rats run or climb.
aCr==ZIiri < Tfop no, led to
Trop let on pipe by means of hose clomp
""^ "Figure 9.—A trap nailed vertically next to a
Figure 8.—A simple device for attaching a runway will often catch rats that avoid traps
trap to a pipe. under foot.
^^H
Figure 10.—Rat traps often may be nailed to the wall where rot runways ore on or near walls.
Trigger surfaces should always be enlarged, as shown.
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To insure successful trappingoperations, plenty of traps shouldbe used. As with bait, consider-ably more ti'aps should be put outthan would seem necessary.
OTHER METHODS
Many other methods and tech-
niques for killing rats have beenadvocated, but the three generalmethods previously discussed givethe most satisfactory results. Forthe most part, other means ofdestruction are rarely as efficient,
or must be relegated to the role
of superstition and folklore.
Shooting rats, while sometimes anamusing sport, will not achievecontrol of an entire population.Small terrier dogs and, rarely,
cats will kill occasional rats thatthey find, but cannot rid the prem-ises of the pests. Ferrets, also,
have been used to kill rats, butthey are too unreliable and de-
stroy too few rats to be a prac-ticable control factor. Such nat-ural enemies as hawks, owls, andsnakes should be encouraged to
remain about the premises ratherthan destroyed, but they cannotbe relied upon for comiolete con-trol. Repellents of many kindshave been suggested, but, as theydissipate rapidly, their use is lim-ited to small confined spaces, andeven there they must be replen-ished constantly. Furthermore,they bring about no decrease in
the population. Glue boards,based on the same principle as fly-
paper, have been prepared, butthey are very messy, and besides,
rats soon learn to avoid them.Virus diseases, supposedly ca-
Dable of starting an epidemicamong rat populations, have at-
tracted some interest, chiefly be-
cause of the spectacular nature ofthe method. Those tried, how-ever, have rarely proved effective.
Rats killed by eating the infectedfood had to be eaten l^y anotherrat in order for the disease to hepassed on. Furthermore, the bac-teria used belong to the samegroup as the food-poisoning ba-cilli and have caused some deathsamong human beings. Some lo-
calities have prohil^ited the sale oruse of the so-called rat viruses.For these reasons, they are notrecommended.There are many other methods
that are popularly supposed to beeflfective in killing rats, but all
have proved ineffective. Eversince the dissemination of thelegend of the Pied Piper, man hasbeen searching for some easy wayto get rid of rats. The sooner it
is realized that downright hardwork is the only solution, thesooner adequate control will beattained.
REMOVAL OF RATHARBORAGES
Unless the places in which rats
are living are destroyed and po-
tential habitations broken up, con-trol methods are rarely success-
ful. Rats can always find enoughfood available to sustain life. Aslong as a place to hide and rearyoung exists, they will continue to
survive. Studies have shown thatafter a poisoning campaign therat population will regain its for-
mer numbers within about 9months or less if no other control
measures are undertaken.The common brown rat lives
underground, beneath stored ma-terials, behind double walls, andin other similar enclosed spaces.
After a thorough poisoning pro-
gram, these harborages must beeliminated as far as possible. All
burrows should be broken up.
Stored materials should be placed
on racks 12 to 18 inches off theground (fig. 11). If the woodpile
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I
rFigure I.—Food and supplies subject to rat damage should be stored on racks high enough to
eliminate harborage and permit easy cleaning.
is already stacked for the winter,however, racks for keeping newsupphes off the ground should bebuilt. Piles of rubbish and dis-
carded material should never beallowed to accumulate. If mate-rials are stored in a dirt-floored
shed, they should be kept neatlyon shelves or racks, not piled on
the floor. If they are worth keep-ing, they are worth proper storagecare. Double walls, made of wall-
board or other insulating mate-rial, are favorite harbors for rats.
They should be eliminated. If
insulation is needed, insulating
board can be nailed directly to thewall between the studding. Re-
-Hardware cloth useful in excluding rats from openings that cannot be closed with
brick or mortar.
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moval of these breeding spots notonly deprives any remaining ratsof a place to live, but renders theplace unattractive to any new ratsthat may stray in.
RATPROOFING
Once the bulk of the rat popula-tion has been destroyed and theharbors eliminated, it becomesnecessary to make the buildingsas ratproof as possible in order to
prevent reinfestation (fig. 12).
Cement, hardware cloth of 14-inch
or i/^-inch mesh, and sheet metalof 26 gage or heavier are all goodratproofing materials. The exte-
rior of the building should becarefully examined. All openingslarger than 1/0 inch must be closedif rats are to be kept out. Woodensills and doors at ground level
should be sheathed in sheet metalto prevent their being gnawed(fig. 13).
Windows less thaji 4 feet off theground in places where brown ratsare present, and at any heightfrom the ground where the climb-ing rats are prevalent, must bescreened with hardware cloth.
Foundation walls, particularlywhere utility lines enter the build-
ing, should be checked for open-ings and pointed up with cement.
13.— tdgcs of doors or other openings +h metal
sheaihing.
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If rats burrow beneath a founda-tion to enter a building, it wouldbe well to install a curtain wall in
the shape of an "L" 2 feet deepand 1 foot across the footing.Rats will tunnel down 3 or even 4feet, but rarely will they cutaround the footing. Almost anystructure can be made ratproofwith a little ingenuity, and usuallyany measures so taken will at thesame time result in useful andworthwhile repairs to the buildingitself. In the case of open build-
ings, as barns and sheds, it is
largely a matter of making certainthat no harbor is present, so thatif a rat does run through theplace, it will have no place to hide.
GENERAL SANITATIONSUGGESTIONS
Food and shelter are the twomost important factors in a rat's
existence. It hunts for a food sup-ply and for a convenient harbor-age nearby. Eliminate these twoattractants and the premises lose
their appeal to rats. Ignore themand new invaders will appear asfast as the old ones are killed off,
particularly if nearby areas arealso undergoing a control pro-gram. Open garbage and trashheaps should not be permitted.Care should be taken not to spill
food on the ground and leave it forrats to get. If birds are being fed,
a rat-proof feeding tray placed ona generous ledge to prevent spill-
ing should be provided. In cities,
particularly, often more food goesto rats than to the birds. Un-sightly dumps should be eliminat-ed. If complete burning is not pos-sible, the debris should be buriedat least 3 feet deep and the earthcompacted around it. Every weekshould be a "clean-up week."
MOUSE CONTROL
In general, the control of mice is
based on the same techniques asthose used in the control of rats.
Trapping, unless the infestation is
heavy, will often be sufficient. Ofthe poisons mentioned, ANTU andred squill give poor results. Zincphosphide and strychnine alkaloid
are more satisfactory. Again, it
must be emphasized that caremust be observed in the properhandling of the materials, that asufficient quantity of the mate-rials be used to insure satisfactoryresults, and that sanitary meas-ures be taken to eliminate condi-tions that permit the pests to
exist. Detailed information onthe control of mice can be foundin United States Department ofthe Interior Conservation Bulletin
36, Control of Destructive Mice,which can be obtained from theFish and Wildlife Service, Wash-ington 25, D. C.
5 VVHSE 00077
U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE