Urban Entomology

Insect and Mite Pests in the Human Environment

William Robinson

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9780412607509
• eBook ISBN: 9781000142808
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Architecture
• Subtopic: Architecture General

This is a comprehensive textbook covering all aspects of entomology in the human environment. There is particular emphasis on control and biology of pests. The book provides students of entomology with a clear theoretical and practical foundation in household and structural insect pests.;This book should be of interest to senior undergraduates and masters students in entomology; pest control workers; researchers in the pesticide industry.

Part One Introduction to Urban Entomology

1 General introduction

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Urbanization of human society

1.3 The human environment

1.4 Pests and pest status in the human environment

1.5 Economic importance

1.6 Management and control strategies

1.7 Suggested reading

PERSPECTIVE

In 1800 the people living in cities and large towns represented only about 1.7% of the world population. At this time human society was rural and primarily agrarian. The industrial society that emerged at the end of the 1800s began the trend toward global urbanization. By 1950 the urban population had increased to 28%, in 1985 it increased to 42%, and by the year 2000 it is expected that half of the world's population will be living in an urban environment. Human society will soon become an urban society. However, this will not be a characteristic of only developed countries; the developing and Third World countries are also becoming urbanized at a rapid rate. Of the 26 cities with a projected population of 10 million in 2020, half will be in Asia.

The problems associated with urbanization include the obvious overcrowding, reduced sanitation and increased air and water pollution. But there are also increases in both communicable and arthropod-borne diseases. When large numbers of people come together there is an accompanying strain on the quality of living conditions and on the level of protection from pests, pathogens and pollution. Arthropods in the living environment affect the quality of life through their mere presence, or their ability to damage, food, fiber and the structure, or by threatening human health.

Management or control of the most important of household and structural pests requires an understanding of their basic biology and habits. Modern society will expect pest control strategies that are effective and perhaps preventive, while sustaining environmental quality.

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Of the many concerns for mankind as we enter the 21st century, the most important is the increasing concentration of the human population in cities and metropolitan areas (Figure 1.1). One of the most significant developments in the 20th century has been the mass migration of people from rural villages and towns to major cities. This has created an urbanized human society. For many of the struggling Third World countries the concentration of people in cities has severely strained their economy. On the fringes of the major or 'core' cities in many of these countries are impoverished housing developments and shanty towns. These unsanitary areas provide habitats for a variety of medically important arthropods and vertebrates.

Figure 1.1 Population distribution of the United States. The distribution is accurately revealed in the pattern of night-time city lights taken from satellite images.

The change from rural to urban has been global in impact and is continuing or increasing in some regions. For some countries large portions of their population are concentrated in coastal conurbations, such as those extending up the coast of China from Guangzhou to Beijing, and the east coast of the United States from Washington to Boston (Figure 1.2). The aspect of city meshing with city to form a continuous layer of concrete and asphalt will soon be the dominant coastal landform of the major continents. The suppression or control of insects such as mosquitoes, house flies and fleas that may adapt to these environments will be a challenge for urban entomologists.

The quality of life in the urban environment will be linked to material possessions and the home or living space. In spite of increased education and appreciation for the plants and animals in the environment around us, it is unlikely that humans will develop any significant tolerance of competing life forms within their living space. The majority of organisms that compete with us for part of our food, fiber and space will be arthropods - and they will be considered unwelcome. They will have pest status based on aesthetics, economics, damage to material or structure, or their effect on health. Their presence will not only be unacceptable, but will almost certainly elicit some form of chemical or nonchemical control effort.

Figure 1.2 Megalopolis. The urban corridor extending over 600 miles from Washington, DC, to Boston in the United States represents one of the most distinctive metropolitan areas in the world. This region comprises more than 30 individual metropolitan areas.

1.2 URBANIZATION OF HUMAN SOCIETY

At the start of the next century, 80% of the people in economically developed countries of the world will live in urban areas (Figure 1.3). In developing countries nearly 52% of the population will be urban. The 21st century will mark the near completion of the evolution to an urban society. This represents the most significant change for human population distribution. Urban populations are growing by about 3.8% a year, and by 2020 it is expected that about 4 billion people will inhabit urban areas, while 3 billion will remain in rural areas. By that year there will be 391 cities with more than 1 million residents, an increase from 288 in 1990. Of those cities, 26 will be 'megacities', with more than 10 million people, and 13 of the megacities will be in Asia.

The changes in population distribution that will be accomplished in the 21st century will impact all aspects of society and challenge our ability to maintain an acceptable quality of life. This level of growth will be accompanied by exposure to a great variety of pollutants and other health hazards linked to large urban populations. Currently, only 40% of urban homes in developed nations are connected to sewers, and more than 90% of the waste water is discharged without treatment. Pest control programs for major disease vectors such as mosquitoes and rat fleas must be maintained to prevent outbreaks that can spread rapidly through urban and suburban populations. Inadequate sanitation and pest control for such large numbers of people in one location may be a major cause of sickness in cities, and a serious drain on urban economics and services.

1.3 THE HUMAN ENVIRONMENT

An understanding of the human environment begins with an understanding of the personal living space. Humans do not live just in a house of enclosed domestic space, with the necessary features to provide food, shelter and a secure and safe place to sleep. The importance of the human living space as an environment extends beyond the spatial and material to have emotional, directly personal and sometimes religious aspects. It is these aspects that transform a simple space into a home - a personal space. This home environment, when secure and stable, provides for the ritualization of even the most basic activities such as food preparation, sleeping and family interactions. Indeed, the walls of the house delimit a 'sacred space' that is shared by the family, and entry to this space is provided only by invitation. The entry to the living space is traditionally marked by a covered opening - a door of cloth, beads or sticks. It is a custom in nearly every human culture for a visitor to seek permission before crossing the threshold to enter another

Figure 1.3 World metropolitan areas. The world distribution of metropolitan areas with populations of one million or more shows a concentration in western Europe and eastern Asia, with secondary clusters in North America and southern Asia.

family's sacred space. The unwelcome are not accorded permission to enter. In fact, the unapproved entry to a home is vigorously protected by the laws of most progressive nations. Understanding this aspect of human culture provides an understanding of the pest status of insects and other arthropods that enter the living space uninvited, thus unwelcome.

With the 21st century will come changes in the traditional workplace. They will be dramatic in terms of where and when work is accomplished. Regardless of the extent of the changes, people will spend a considerable amount of time indoors, either at work or at play. An estimated 90% of our lives will be spent there, yet there are few standards for insuring the quality of the indoor air or limiting exposure to potential hazards. During the 1970s there was a heightened awareness of the world's limited energy resources. In many industrial countries this concern resulted in excessive conservation measures such as sealing windows, closing air-ducts and over-insulating walls and roofs in homes and workplaces. While saving limited energy, these measures severely reduced indoor air quality, primarily by limiting the introduction of fresh air.

Increases in indoor temperatures and relative humidity have provided favorable conditions for a variety of insects and mites, including cockroaches and house dust mites. The increases in asthma in both developed and developing countries may be the first of many responses by humans to a poor indoor air environment, and to exposure to various allergens found indoors, including those from cockroaches and dust mites. In the United States there are an estimated 12 million asthma sufferers, and they are found primarily in urban areas.

1.4 PESTS AND PEST STATUS IN THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT

Over the long history of human evolution, various insects and mites have adapted to the unique habitats and conditions created by humans in and around the household. This group of organisms has successfully made the transition from agricultural or natural habitats to the unique human environment. The transition was accomplished through the ability of these arthropods to utilize food resources and harborages associated with humans. They have developed a tolerance of temperature and humidity conditions that characterize the human environment, but not of humans themselves. Some of these animals have become established around the perimeter of structures; others have adapted to living indoors in direct contact with people or pets. In some cases pest species in the urban environment are represented by reservoir populations in agricultural or natural environments, while others are represented only by domestic populations. The level of adaption and their pest status is variable, but the species include a great variety of arthropods.

For some, the conditions that were favorable for transition and establishment have changed, and the presence and pest status of these species has declined. In the 1800s the use of animal skins and hair in making furniture and floor coverings encouraged large household populations of carpet beetles and moths. Synthetic materials such as nylon have replaced this organic food source, and carpe...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• Preface
• Part One Introduction to Urban Entomology
• Part Two Domestic Pests
• Part Three Peridomestic Pests
• Part Four Structural Pests
• Index