Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1993, Qupperneq 68

Number of records
72
PESTS RECORDEDIN THE FAROEISLANDS, 1986-1992
Fig. 5. The australian spider beetle, Ptinus tectus.
Total length: 3-4 mm.
Mynd 5.Tjóvaklukka, Ptinus tectus. Longd: 3-4 mm.
ln total; Dark flour beetle; —*— Aust.spider bettle;
-s- Plasterbeetles; Silverfish; —Other animals.
Fig. 6. Monthly distribution of food supply eating
species, in total N=95. The dark flour beetle,
Tribolium destructor (N=26), the Australian
spider beetle, Ptinus tectus (N=35), the silver-
fish, Lepisma saccharina (N=14), the fungus
beetle, Clavicomia sp. (N=7).
Mynd 6. Mánaðarbýtið av skaðadýrum í mati, íalt
N=95. Tjøruklukka, Tribolium destructor
(N=26), tjóvaklukka, Ptinus tectus (N=35),
silvurskottur, Lepisma saccharina (N=14),
hýggiklukka, Clavicomia sp. (N=7).
1981; Hallas and Solberg, 1989, Iversen et
al., 1990).
Faroese legislation related to pests in-
cludes a regulation conceming plant disea-
ses and pests (nr. 370 dated 21 December
1938), as well as the Environment Act and
the Health Act. This includes the control of
rats ordered by the local community, so this
paper will not deal with rodent pests. The
use of poisons against pests is permitted for
under the health regulations (Djurhuus et
al., 1992).
Classification of pests
Pests are normally classified according to
where they cause damage. Here, the fol-
lowing categories are used:
1. Pests damaging buildings, household
goods, books and clothes.
2. Pests eating food supplies.
3. Ectoparasites and other pests causing
physical irritation to humans.
4. More or less harmless animals living in
human settlements or houses as regular
or occasional/winter guests.
Of these four groups (Fig. 1), those pests
which attack human food (no. 4) and
houses (no. 1) occur in great numbers, and
are in fact those most commonly known as
pests. The group of pests which irritate
humans or attack their plants in houses and
gardens (no. 2) are much underestimated in
this connection, as they have been treated
by medical doctors, horticulturalists and
the Agricultural Research Center.
Examples from all four groups, which
occur regularly in the Faroe Islands, will be
mentioned here.