Editing Pest control (section)

====Sterilization====
{{See also|Sterile insect technique|Chemosterilant}}
Populations of pest insects can sometimes be dramatically reduced by the release of sterile individuals. This involves the mass rearing of a pest, sterilising it by means of X-rays or some other means, and releasing it into a wild population. It is particularly useful where a female only mates once and where the insect does not disperse widely.<ref>{{cite book|author=Thacker, J.R.M.|title=An Introduction to Arthropod Pest Control|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jN7lCC_BaG4C&pg=PA193 |year=2002|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-56787-9 |page=193}}</ref> This technique has been successfully used against the [[Cochliomyia hominivorax|New World screw-worm fly]], some species of [[tsetse fly]], tropical [[Drosophilidae|fruit flies]], the [[pink bollworm]] and the [[codling moth]], among others.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Dyck, V.A.|author2=Hendrichs, J.|author3=Robinson, A.S.|title=Sterile Insect Technique: Principles and Practice in Area-Wide Integrated Pest Management|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-vOLhFewchoC&pg=PA4 |year=2006 |publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|isbn=978-1-4020-4051-1 |page=4}}</ref>

To chemically sterilize pests using chemosterilants, laboratory studies conducted using [[U-5897]] (3-chloro-1,2-propanediol) attempted in the early 1970s for rat control, although these proved unsuccessful.<ref name=sterile>{{cite journal |author1=Bowerman, Alan M. |author2=Brooks, Joe E. |year=1971 |title=Evaluation of U-5897 as a male chemosterilant for rat control |journal=[[Journal of Wildlife Management]] |volume=35 |issue=4 |pages=618–624 |jstor=3799765 |doi=10.2307/3799765}}</ref> In 2013, New York City tested sterilization traps,<ref name=Swartz2014>{{cite news|author1=Tracy Swartz|title=CTA to put rats on birth control|url=http://www.redeyechicago.com/news/cta/redeye-cta-to-put-rats-on-birth-control-20141222,0,451858.story|access-date=10 January 2015|agency=Chicago Tribune|date=22 December 2014}}</ref> demonstrating a 43% reduction in rat populations.<ref name=Swartz2014 /> The product [[ContraPest]] was approved for the sterilization of rodents by the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|U.S. Environmental Protection Agency]] in August 2016 as a chemosterilant.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pctonline.com/article/senestech-contrapest-rodent-product-epa-approval/ |publisher=Pest Control Technology, GIA Media |title=ContraPest Rodent Control Product Wins EPA Approval |date=12 August 2016  |access-date=11 November 2016}}</ref>