When looking at CEU information for my applicator licensing, I came across the EPA Endangered Species website. I had no idea that some pesticide labels instruct the Certified Applicator to refer to this. It is meant to protect all things considered to be “going out of style”… well, extinct.
There are 93 insects in this list. Many of them are types of butterflies and a few bees. The only insect from my home state of Kansas on this list is the American Burying Beetle.
Hawaii has a delicate ecosystem that is worth saving. Many insects on the endangered and threatened list are from this area, such as a kind of Sphinx moth.
Twelve arachnids are considered endangered and 10 of them are from the Austin, Texas area.
Various mice, rats, voles, and pocket gophers made the list too.
Fifty-one kinds of snails are threatened or endangered. I know you hate it when they go after your rodent bait, but depending on your location, you might just have to leave them be.
Geese, ducks, finches, quail, owls, sparrows, and other birds are protected, too. Sometimes we just have to tolerate them.
I don’t like amphibians, but 38 different frogs, toads, and salamanders have to be kept out of harms way. Reptiles are another group I could do without, but the United States Fish and Wildlife service thinks they should be given a reprieve.
During our peak summer pest control season, our customers request mosquito services. Gambusia fish are infrequently used to control mosquitoes, and two species of this fish are endangered.
CAUTIOUS WITH THE LABELS
Pesticides are a great tool for managing the unwanted insect, rodent, or bird populations. We have to remember that use of these tools come with consequences when handled incorrectly. This is just another reason to always read the label. They change all the time.
When your chosen product label says to refer to the Endangered Species list, take the time to read the list. You can find it here: http://www.fws.gov
Pest Control Chatter 