Measures by Zurich , Switzerland, to Eradicate Pharaoh Ants and to Instruct People on the Use of Household Insecticides

Abstract:
The Urban Pest Advisory Service (UPAS) is responsible for urban pests in the city of Zurich, Switzerland. We give approximately 2,000 consultations per year concerning pests and their control; we survey the pest situation in the city and control rats in public areas. Through a survey made among pest control companies we found that pharaoh ants usually infest apartment buildings in Switzerland. In the last two years we found two major infestations of pharaoh ants (Monomorium pharaonis) in several houses in Zurich. In order to control the whole population we monitored their spread and ordered the eradication in all infested houses. Other tropical ant species have also been found in Switzerland. The current UPAS project to prevent the inappropriate use of insecticide sprays in households by tenants and house owners is presented.