Michael Jon Rust

US Patent:

20200029555, Jan 30, 2020

Filed:

Sep 27, 2017

Appl. No.:

16/337166

Inventors:

Dong-Hwan Choe - Riverside CA, US
Jia-Wei Tay - Riverside CA, US
Ashok Mulchandani - Riverside CA, US
Mark Hoddle - Riverside CA, US
Michael Rust - Riverside CA, US

International Classification:

A01N 25/04
A01N 43/88
A01N 49/00

Abstract:

A biodegradable hydrogel is disclosed for delivering aqueous bait to control pest ants. The biodegradable hydrogel includes a natural polymer of alginate cross-linked with calcium ions. A method of forming a biodegradable hydrogel is disclosed for delivering aqueous bait to control pest ants, the method includes ionotropically cross-linking sodium alginate with calcium ions.

US Patent:

20170208793, Jul 27, 2017

Filed:

Jul 27, 2015

Appl. No.:

15/329181

Inventors:

Dong-Hwan CHOE - Riverside CA, US
Michael K. RUST - Riverside CA, US
Mark HODDLE - Riverside CA, US
Ashok MULCHANDANI - Riverside CA, US

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

International Classification:

A01M 1/20
A01N 51/00
A01N 59/14
A01M 1/02
A01N 25/04

Abstract:

A biodegradable bait station is disclosed that can be used with liquid baits targeting pest ants in urban, agricultural, and natural setting, which can overcome several limitations that most of other liquid bait stations currently experience. For example, instead of keeping a large quantity of liquid bait in a reservoir, a small amount, for example, 10-20 ml of sugary liquid bait with an insecticide, for example, boric acid, thiamethoxam, imidacloprid, will be contained in a biodegradable cylindrical container with one open end. The open end will be plugged with a piece of water absorbent polymer or gel, for example, polyacrylamide gel, sodium alginate. The water absorbent polymer or gel absorbs the liquid bait and expands inside of the cylindrical container so that it will function as a polymer “wick” to deliver a small amount of the liquid bait to foraging ants.