Pest (biology)

Carpet beetle larvae damaging a specimen of Sceliphron destillatorius in an insect collection

A pest is an animal which harms humans or human concerns.^[1] It is a loosely defined term; it overlaps with the terms vermin, weeds, parasites and pathogens. In its broadest sense, a pest is a competitor of humanity.^[2]

Top ten pests

According to BBC News Science & Environment, these are among the top ten pests of plants: ^[3] Fungi are prominent in their list, and it is more usual to call them pathogens.

Desert locust Schistocerca gregaria
Rubber blight Microcyclus ulei
Corn root worm Diabrotica virgifera virgifera
Potato blight Phytophthora infestans, an Oomycete
Khapra beetle Trogoderma granarium
Mountain pine beetle Dendroctonus ponderosae
Wheat stem rust Puccinia graminis tritici
Colorado beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata

Serious beetle pests

References

↑ Mirriam-Webster dictionary, 2010.
↑ "Pest - vermin". Encyclopedia Britannica.
↑ BBC News Science & Environment [1]

[1] Mirriam-Webster dictionary, 2010.

[2] "Pest - vermin". Encyclopedia Britannica.

[3] BBC News Science & Environment [1]

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