What’s a pest? As define by Merriam Webster dictionary:-
- an epidemic disease associated with high mortality; specifically : plague
- something resembling a pest in destructiveness; especially : a plant or animal detrimental to humans or human concerns (as agriculture or livestock production)
- one that pesters or annoys : nuisance
So, in our urban society, a pest is best defined as No 2 & No 3 above. To further define it, urban pests are categorised to both invertebrates and vertebrates. They are considered pests if they:-
- Destructs our property or products (i.e. termites, rats, beetles)
- Spread diseases to human or animals (i.e. Dengue, Leptospirosis, Salmonella)
- Directly harm human or animals (i.e bites from bedbugs, cat fleas, hornets)
- Create fear or entomophobia to human (i.e. spiders, cockroaches)
- Nuisance or their presence or faeces (lizards, flies, pigeons)
