CHEMICALS
This chemical sheet is designed to give you an understanding of what employees of Cass County Vector Control use as control methods for mosquitoes. This list also contains information to possibly aid you with any questions you may encounter throughout the mosquito season.
Scourge: This is a product that we use as an adulticiding agent in an attempt to kill the adult mosquito populations. It is a ground application administered through our ULV (Ultra Low Volume) spraying devices mounted in the boxes of our trucks. It is applied at a rate of 8.0 fl/oz per minute and mixed at a ratio of 25 Gallons of Scourge to 1 Gallon of mineral oil or another solvent. The active ingredients in Scourge are composed of Resmethrin (making up 18%) and Piperonyl Butoxide Technical (comprising 54% of the solution), and inert ingredients make up the final 28% of the pre-mixed solution.
Vectolex CG: Vectolex is a larviciding agent that we place in wet areas where mosquitoes live and lay eggs. This agent is only effective toward the larvae stage of the mosquito. We encounter many drainage systems (catch basins), storm drains, ditches and collecting pools in Cass County where we apply this chemical. Vectolex is administered by hand at a rate of 5- 20 lbs. per acre, depending on the size of the site, soil type, and specimen collected. Vectolex has a residual up to 30 days if weather permits or no run-off intrudes the site treated. The active ingredient of Vectolex CG is Bacillus sphaericus Serotype H5a%b, strain 2362 Technical Powder, which makes up 7.5 % of the product, with inert ingredients making up the remaining 92.5%.
Abate 2-BG: This is another larviciding agent that is administered by hand once again to areas of standing water which contain visible larvae. As with Vectolex, Abate 2-BG has varying application rates depending on the depth of the standing water and how much organic material is in the water. Abate 2-BG is applied at a rate of 2.5- 25 lbs per acre of standing water and has a residual lasting 7-21 days after each application. The active ingredient of Abate 2-BG is Temephos, which only makes up 2% of the entire packaged chemical, with inert ingredients comprising the other 98%. We apply Abate 2-BG to areas where many different mosquito species are collected and or where we can leave an area for a period of time.
5% Skeeter Abate: This product contains the very same active ingredients as the Abate 2-BG, only at a higher concentration. This does enhance the products devastative capabilities to the larval mosquito population, but at the same time it makes for a less environmentally same product to use. The 5% Skeeter Abate is also applied by hand to standing water at a rate of 4-10 lbs. per acre. This potent insecticide breaks down slower making it more effective in the soil and standing water, therefore we only apply this chemical to areas where no human or animal contact will be made. We apply Abate 5% to county ditches and areas where we know mosquitoes may breed with heavy rain or large water collections. The active ingredient in this product is Temephos, at a 5% concentration (hence the name 5% skeeter abate) and has inert ingredients which make up the other 95% of the product. As stated before, the heightened concentration does increase possible environmental hazards, which makes it so that we do not apply this product within the city limits of Fargo/West Fargo.
Altosid Briquets: Altosid Briquets are released to sites subjected to heavy flow of water requiring careful attention to placement and the need for retreatment. Altosid Briquets are insect growth regulators that are applied to areas of standing water with only larvae populations.The chemical is in the form of a black, cylindrical briquet that is dispersed by hand at a rate of 1 briquet per every 75 gallons of water or 100 sq.ft of area. Under normal conditions a briquet should last for 30 days, however, if there is any flooding or run-off an application can be done every 15 days.
Agnique MMF: This product is a monomolecular surface film intended to control larvae and pupae populations in standing water. When dispersed over the surface of water, the oil will expand and cover the entire surface to prevent larvae and pupae from penetrating the surface of the water to breathe, therefore suffocating them. This fluid is composed of a chemical called Poly (oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), alpha-isooctadecyl-hydroxyl, and it is applied by spraying the liquid through hand-held spray bottles. The treatment rate that we use is roughly 0.2-0.5 gallons of Agnique MMF per acre of water.
Anvil 2+2 ULV: Anvil was introduced to our program this past winter and implemented into our 2003 mosquito season. This is an insecticide that we apply through our sprayers when we adulticide the city for adult mosquitoes. Anvil 2+2 is applied at a rate of 9.0 fl./oz per minute and comes premixed (oil soluble synergized synthetic pyrethroid) ready to use. The application rate for this product is maintained by the nozzle head on the sprayer mount. This should disperse the chemical at a dosage rate of about 0.0036 lbs. per acre with a truck speed of 10 mph. Anvil 2+2 is comprised of active ingredients 3-Phenoxybenzyl-(1RS, 3RS; 1RS, 3SR)-2,2-dimethyl-3-(2-methylprop-1-enyl) cyclopropanecarboxylate making 2%, piperonyl butoxide, Technical making 2% and inert making the remaining 96%.
Aqua-Reslin: Aqua-Reslin is an insecticide that was introduced to Cass County in the fall of 2002. After testing and researching the adulticide we chose to continue to use the product to help control adult mosquitoes. Aqua-Reslin is applied through our sprayers on our trucks when we spray the city limits in the evening hours and parks near water in the morning hours. Aqua-Reslin is unique in that is uses water as a diluent rather than an oil. Aqua-Reslin is a synergized permethrin that provides quick knockdown and fast and effective control of adult mosquitoes. Aqua-Reslin is applied at a 9.0 fl.oz./minute and is mixed at a ratio of 10 Gallons of chemical to 1 Gallon of water. Aqua-Reslin is comprised of 20% permethrin, 20% piperonyl butoxide, Technical and 60% other ingredients.
Bio-Mist 3+15 ULV: Bio-Mist is an adulticide that we added to our program in 2003. Although we are still testing the product in the field and doing research on its effect on adult mosquitoes, we intend on applying the product in 2004. Bio-Mist is a permethrin much similar to Aqua-Reslin, although Bio-Mist is an oil based product. Bio-Mist is labeled safe to spray in residential and recreational areas for control of adult mosquitoes, biting and non-biting midges and blackflies.
Bti Briquets: This is a larviciding agent that floats and has a sustained release of bacteria for long-term control of mosquito and psychodid fly larvae. Bacillus thuringiensis, commonly called B.t., is a microorganism that produces chemicals toxic to insects. B.t.occurs naturally in the environment and was registered in the United States for use as a pesticide in 1961 and reregistered in 1998. County applicators treat large ponds and areas of standing water near pastures, homes, and other food crop, forestry areas for mosquito larvae. Bti Briquets have continual effect up to 30 days if placed in the correct manner.
Suspend SC: Suspend SC is an odorless synthetic pyrethroid, active ingredient is deltamethrin, that lasts two times longer than the ordinary liquid concentrates while leaving no visible residue. Deltamethrin products are among the most popular and widely used insecticides in the world and have become popular for pest control. We introduced this product to our mosquito program this year applying through our backpack sprayers in parks, golf course, playgrounds and schools. This is a barrier-type product where we treat tree lines, bushes, and other harborage to where the mosquitoes are hiding as opposed to the open areas to where we apply an adulticide spray. Suspend SC is labeled safe in all contact areas and can carry an effective residual up to 14 days or until a rainfall.
Pyrethrin: Pyrethrins are not chemicals; they are made from chrysanthemum flowers and are very popular concentrates for use in mosquito control. They can be used alone as a clean-up or pre-harvest spray where other materials cannot be used because of residue restrictions or pyrethrins can be used for a tank mix as an insecticide. This was the first year we tested and administered a pyrethrin product into our program. We used the pyrethrin product in a backpack sprayer applying to shrubs, tree lines, or any other foliage near rivers or waterways. The effectiveness of the organic pyrethrin we used was around 7-10 days, depending again on rainfall.
In summary, we introduced quite a few new insecticides into our program in 2003. We tested the new products in the lab against other products and did extensive research in the field to see if they would be of any value in this region for mosquito control. After experimenting and seeing the results each new product presented, we then added the product to one of the areas of treatment to be an asset for Cass County. |
