How did humans get rid of hornets and other pests before insecticides were invented?

Hum ans have been dealing with p ests , including horn ets , for thousands of years without the use of insect ic ides . Some of the methods used to control p ests include : \n \n 1 . Natural pred ators : Many insect s have natural pred ators that can help control their populations . For example , lady bug s are natural pred ators of a ph ids , while birds and b ats can feed on flying insect s . \n \n 2 . T rap s : T rap s can be used to capture and kill p ests . For example , stick y tr aps can be used to catch flying insect s , while pit fall tr aps can be used to capture ground - dw elling insect s . \n \n 3 . Rep ell ents : Certain plants and chemicals can act as natural rep ell ents for p ests . For example , some plants produce chemicals that deter insect s from landing on them , while others can be used to create a barrier around an area to keep p ests away . \n \n 4 . Cultural practices : Certain cultural practices , such as removing food sources and keeping areas clean , can help prevent p est inf est ations . For example , regularly cleaning up sp ills and removing food scrap s can help prevent an ts from entering a home . \n \n 5 . Bi ological control : Bi ological control involves using living organ isms , such as bacteria or fun gi , to control p ests . For example , certain bacteria can be used to kill insect s , while fun gi can be used to paras itize and kill p ests . \n \n Over all , humans have developed a variety of methods to control p ests without the use of insect ic ides . These methods are often more effective and less harmful to the environment than modern insect ic ides . </s>