infests

Infest is a verb meaning to invade and occupy a place or host in large numbers, typically by pests or parasites. The noun infestation describes the condition of being infested. The term is used across fields such as agriculture, medicine, and ecology. Etymology traces to Latin infestare, meaning to threaten or trouble.

Infestations occur in many contexts. In agriculture and stored products, pests such as grain weevils, moth larvae, and mites, or rodents, can cause widespread damage. In crops, outbreaks of locusts or aphids may overwhelm fields. In urban and domestic settings, infestations commonly involve bed bugs, cockroaches, rats, or fleas. In animals, ticks and mites can create persistent infestations on hosts. In humans, ectoparasitic infestations (for example, lice or scabies) affect the skin or hair, while internal parasites are sometimes described as infestations in public health discussions.

Causes of infestations include favorable environmental conditions (temperature, humidity), accessibility of food or hosts, rapid reproduction, and movement of pests through trade or travel. Consequences range from direct damage and yield loss to health risks and economic costs, as well as nuisance and reduced quality of life.

Management typically follows integrated pest management principles. Emphasis is on prevention and monitoring, sanitation, exclusion, and physical controls, supplemented by biological controls and, when appropriate, chemical controls. Resistance management and safety considerations are important. In medical contexts, infestations are distinguished from infections: infestations refer to parasites residing on external surfaces or within a host, while infections involve invasion of tissues or the body.

See also pest control, quarantine, and integrated pest management.