Arthur Slater, entomologist and retired pest control director at UC Berkeley, discusses how to control residential pests without the use of toxins.

Also available on CD at Shows on CD and for listening online at Radio on Demand.

SHOW INTRODUCTION Anyone who collects trivia knows this fact: if you total the weight of insects on the planet it exceeds the weight of human beings. Even so, we prefer not to have them invading and even eating our homes one little mandible at a time. Pest control experts will tell you that you need to apply toxins to control them and if you keep talking they will also admit that these toxins are only guaranteed to work for barely a year. Do some research on these toxins and you'll find that the harmful effects on humans and animals persist for much longer. Doesn't seem worth it for only a year of peace. Perhaps there's a better way. Join me this hour as I interview entomologist and nontoxic pest control expert Arthur Slater.