Vermin

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

A wild rabbit – considered a pest by many, due to its destruction of farm crops

Vermin (

crops, livestock, and property
. Since the term is defined in relation to human activities, which species are included vary by region and enterprise.

The term derives from the

insects, many of which infest foodstuffs.[2] The term varmint (and vermint) has been found in sources from c. 1530–1540s.[1][3]

Definition

The term "vermin" is used to refer to a wide scope of organisms, including

.

Historically, in the 16th and 17th century, the expression also became used as a

vagabonds, and more generally the poor.[5]

Disease-carrying

arachnids may also be referred to as vermin. "Vermin" is also used by some people as a term of abuse, either individually or collectively.[1]

Varmint

Varmint or varmit is an

bears
, but also, to a lesser degree, herbivores and burrowing animals that directly damage crops and land.

Although "varmint/varmit" is not the prevalent usage in

Standard Written English, it is a common descriptor for certain kinds of weapons and pest control situations in the Appalachian and nearby states and the American West and South-west which have adopted terms such as varmint rifle and varmint hunting
.

Deterioration of balance

Any species can develop into vermin if introduced into a region where there are favorable living conditions and few natural predators. In such cases, they are seen as an invasive species and humans often choose to fill the role of the

cockroaches
are common urban and suburban vermin.

United Kingdom

Under Tudor "vermin laws", many creatures were seen as competitors for the produce of the countryside and bounties were paid by the parish for their carcasses. The declaration of the red kite as vermin led to its decline to the point of extirpation in the UK by the 20th century. However, the red kite has since been reintroduced to much of Scotland and the majority of England and Wales by the trans-location of breeding pairs from other parts of Europe.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Varmint definition". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 5 January 2012. Origin: 1530–40; var. of vermin
  2. ^ "Vermin". Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Britannica Publishing. Retrieved 13 December 2006.
  3. ^ "Vermint" cited in England in 1539, Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed
  4. .
  5. .
  6. ^ McCarthy, Michael (23 March 2007). "Book Review: Silent Field, By Roger Lovegrove: songbirds versus shotguns". The Independent. Archived from the original on 11 August 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2009.

External links

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