India, Feb. 6 -- In warm and tropical regions, food is at serious risk from insect destruction and spoilage. The ability to store durable foodstuffs such as grains between harvests to ensure a constant food supply is central to the survival of human civilizations. Until the widespread adoption of fumigants and grain protectants, controlling and eliminating pests was very difficult, and heavy losses were the norm.

Until at least the middle of the last century, Poona battled various insects, especially bedbugs and ants. The Europeans and the native housewives had to fight the menace of ants that destroyed food - raw and cooked. The red ant was one of the most despised, troublesome, and prolific household pests. They nested in partitions, u...