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How Does Imidacloprid Work?

Oct. 18, 2022

Imidacloprid is an insecticide that mimics nicotine. Nicotine is naturally found in many plants, including tobacco, and is toxic to insects. Imidacloprid is used to control sucking insects in pets, termites, some soil insects and fleas.

 

What is Imidacloprid?

 

Imidacloprid 96%TC,20%SL,70% WP/WDG,35%SC,50%FS Insecticide

 

Imidacloprid, first registered for use in 1994, is a neonicotinoid insecticide used to control many insects in households, commercial properties, and agriculture. Neonicotinoids are relatively new in the pesticide industry, with the name meaning "new nicotine-like insecticides." Imidacloprid can be found in different formulations like liquids, granules, dusts, and gels.

 

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Which products contain imidacloprid?

 

Products containing imidacloprid are available in a variety of forms, including liquid, granular, powder and water-soluble packages. Imidacloprid products can be used on crops, in houses or as flea products for pets.

Always follow label directions and take steps to avoid contact. If any exposure occurs, always follow the first aid instructions on the product label carefully. 

 

How does imidacloprid work?

 

Mode of action

Imidacloprid is a general-use insecticide that is systemic and behaves as an insect neurotoxin. Imidacloprid belongs to a class of chemicals called neonicotinoids. The word neonicotinoids may sound familiar to you because it contains the word “nicotine”. This means that this chemical is made to imitate the properties of nicotine, a powerful neurotoxin found naturally in tobacco. Imidacloprid acts differently than other insecticides currently marketed (i.e. carbamates, organophosphates and pyrethroids). The mode of action is based on interference with the transmission of impulses in the insect's nervous system. Similar to the naturally occurring acetylcholine that transmits signals, imidacloprid stimulates certain nerve cells by acting on receptor proteins.

 

Imidacloprid

Imidacloprid

 

Unlike acetylcholine, which is rapidly degraded by acetylcholinesterase, imidacloprid deactivates very slowly or not at all. It has both contact and feeding activity. Feeding activity of the target pest ceases within minutes to hours and death usually occurs within 24 - 48 hours, but may take up to 7 days depending on the mode of application. In terms of its performance: good reliable control, high selectivity.

Imidacloprid is designed to mimic the effects of nicotine, found commonly in tobacco. Imidacloprid's mode of action is achieved by disrupting inhibiting stimuli transmission within the nervous system of the targeted insect when that insect either ingests or absorbs the poison into its body.

In other words, imidacloprid blocks a certain type of neuronal pathways that are much more prevalent in insects than mammals. That is why the chemical is much more toxic to insects than humans or animals. As a result of this blockage, the insect begins to accumulate acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter, resulting in the insect's paralysis, and eventually their death.

 

Internal absorption characteristics

Imidacloprid insecticides are characterised by its excellent endosmosis properties. Absorption of the active substance through the roots is an important prerequisite for soil directed applications, e.g. by irrigation systems (irrigation), in furrow applications, granular applications, including seed box applications or seed treatments in rice. Due to its excellent systemic activity and low application rates, imidacloprid can be used as a seed dressing, as well as for foliar, soil and stem treatments.

 

What insects does imidacloprid kill?

The biological spectrum of imidacloprid covers a wide range of target pests, such as

• Sucking insects: aphids, whiteflies, leafhoppers and lice, thrips, scale, mealybugs, stinkbugs, woodlice, phylloxera.

• Coleoptera (beetles): leaf beetles (e.g. Colorado potato beetle, rice water weevil), nematodes, grubs, flea beetles.

• Others: lepidopteran leaf miners, some dipteran pests, termites, locusts and fleas.

 

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Benefits of Imidacloprid

 

Imidacloprid comes in a variety of formulations. It is used in liquid insecticide concentrates and gel baits among others.

Imidacloprid is effective against insects, especially when protecting insects that are damaging plants because it is a systemic insecticide and goes through the plant down to its roots, without harming the plant. Insects that bite into the plant are then effected and succumb to the active ingredient. 

Imidacloprid is best used to treat against pest infestations on turf, ornamentals, trees, shrubs, and other garden plants. Indoors it works great for the control of ant and roach infestation in bait form.

 

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Drawbacks of Imidacloprid

 

Extended use of Imidacloprid may lead to the target insect developing a resistance to the active ingredient. You may not want to use Imidacloprid if you desire a quicker knockdown of a problem pest and do not want to wait for the chemical to affect the entire population.

 

What happens to imidacloprid in the environment?

 

Imidacloprid pesticide can persist in the soil for months or years. As time passes, the residue becomes more tightly bound to the soil. Imidacloprid is rapidly broken down by water and sunlight. The pH of the water and the temperature affect the rate at which imidacloprid decomposes. Under certain conditions, imidacloprid may leach out of the soil into groundwater. Depending on which bonds in the molecule are broken, imidacloprid is broken down into many other chemicals.

 

Does imidacloprid affect birds, fish or other wildlife?

 

Imidacloprid is not very toxic to birds and is minimally toxic to fish, although this varies from species to species. Imidacloprid insecticides is very toxic to bees and other beneficial insects. The role (if any) of imidacloprid in colony collapse disorder is not known. Scientists have shown that the nectar and pollen of plants grown in treated soil may contain imidacloprid residues at levels below those shown to affect bees in laboratory experiments.

 

Imidacloprid

Imidacloprid

 

Other beneficial animals may also be affected. Green lacewings cannot avoid nectar from plants grown in soil treated with imidacloprid. Lacewings that fed on treated plants survived at a lower rate than those that did not feed on treated plants. Ladybirds that fed on aphids from plants grown in treated soil also showed reduced survival and reproduction rates.

Scientists are actively studying the effects of imidacloprid on bees and other invertebrates. When they complete their research, new information will emerge that will help determine the risks to these animals.

 

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Is Imidacloprid Safe?

 

Imidacloprid is safe to use when applied carefully according to label directions. When handling products containing imidacloprid it is best to err on the side of caution and use gloves and protective clothing when spraying the products. Please use the product according to the instructions on the label and take heed to the safety measures on the label when applying the product.

Imidacloprid insecticides are safe to use when applied according to their product label instructions. This chemical blocks certain neuronal pathways that are much more prevalent in insects than in mammals, meaning insects are more vulnerable to the effects of imidacloprid than humans and animals would be. Imidacloprid may still cause harm if ingested.

Though imidacloprid products are safe when used properly, always wear the proper personal protective equipment, or PPE, when applying any insecticides and keep them out of reach of any children or pets. Wear as much coverage as you need to avoid direct skin contact and a respirator or other facial covering to avoid inhalation.

 

Where can I get more information?

 

For more detailed information on imidacloprid, or visit our website at https://www.laikebiotech.com. Welcome to contact us today or request a quote.

Hebei Laike Biotech Co.Ltd. is a modern large enterprise specializing in producing, research and marketing of agrochemicals (including herbicide, insecticide, fungicide, plant growth regulators, and fertilizer). Laike provides objective, scientific answers to questions about pesticides.

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