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What is a pest?

Last Updated: April 23, 2012

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Pest is a label applied to an organism when it causes problems for humans, including damage to structures, health threats to humans, domestic animals or livestock and agricultural crops. For example, there are thousands of species of ants, only a few of which cause problems and thus become pests. All ants, including those that can become pests, provide valuable ecosystem services including removal and decomposition of waste matter and providing food for other species.

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