A pest invasion is the occurrence of a pest species in a location where its number and impact is at an intolerable level. A pest may be any harmful living organism, but the term usually has an agricultural reference. Pest invasions may result from a combination of ecological and climatic factors, such as weather patterns, monocropping, new species introduction, or migration patterns.

Relief agencies can reduce the risk of disasters from pest invasions by assisting in community mobilization, technical training, provision of essential materials, and advocating for government policies toward mitigation and response measures.

The Mediterranean fruit fly (left) is one of the world's most destructive fruit pests; eradication is difficult and expensive. Fire ants (right) are dangerous pests throughout the southeastern United States. Both require ...

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