Things You Want to Know about Abamectin

There are a variety of pests that may be treated on your property, so when using insecticides, it helps to use insecticides that are not only effective but can successfully address a variety of insects. One product that can do this is abamectin.

Abamectin is the key active ingredient in many specialty insecticide products used to treat cockroaches and ants. It is also widely used in acaricides and nematicides, and Laike Biotech is proud to offer products containing this potent active ingredient. Learn more about this chemical and why it is so effective in killing many different common pests.

What is Avermectin?

Avermectin contains more than 80% avermectin B1a and less than 20% avermectin B1b and its insecticidal and acaricidal properties have been optimized for use in crop protection. It is manufactured through a fermentation process that yields a mixture of eight different avermectin compounds, all of which are biologically active. Abamectin is isolated and purified from six other compounds.

Abamectin B1. 0.05% originates from a naturally occurring fungus that has a unique mode of toxic action against cockroaches. The active substance kills cockroaches by acting as a "gaba blocker". Because this is a highly effective and different mode of action from many other insecticides, the potential for resistance in cockroach populations is reduced.

The active ingredient in many avermectin products, such as AvidTM, ZephyrTM, VertimecTM or Agri- MekTM, is actually a mixture of 80% avermectin B1a and 20% avermectin B1b (FCH 2000). These B1a and B1b avermectins are purified from chemically complex insecticidal/acaricidal toxins produced by Streptomyces avermitilis, an actinomycete found in soil. Although avermectin is a natural fermentation product of this bacterium, the pesticide is classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a Class II toxic pesticide in classes I through IV, with Class I being the most toxic.

Aim Insects

What Insects Does Abamectin Kill?

Abamectin is a key ingredient in insect bait such as Advance 375A, Invict AB Insect Paste, Optiguard Ant Gel, Ascend Fire Ant Bait and Vendetta Roach Bait. This insecticide is used in agricultural and residential areas to control mites, leaf miners, pear psyllids, cockroaches and fire ants.

When mixed with water according to the directions for use, abamectin 0.15 EC controls mites and leaf mites and suppresses thrips, aphids and whiteflies on the following ornamentals Greenhouse, shade house and field grown ornamentals; foliage plants; Christmas trees and other woody ornamentals.

Mode of Action

Like most other pesticides, avermectins are neurotoxic. They stimulate the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system, a chemical "transmitter" produced at nerve endings, which inhibits nerve-to-nerve and nerve-to-muscle communication. Affected insects become paralyzed, stop feeding, and die after a few days.AvidTM is used to control mites and leaf miner moths and is said to eliminate some of the major parasites of leaf miner moths and some predatory mites. When applied to leaves, it is absorbed by the leaves where feeding insects encounter the poison.

Abamectin

Environmental Fate

Abamectin decomposes rapidly in soil through photodegradation at the soil surface and microbial degradation in dark, aerobic conditions. The chemical has a half-life of about 1 week on unshaded soil surfaces and about 2 weeks to 2 months under the soil surface. It also decomposes rapidly in water; its half-life in pond water is four days and in pond sediment is two to four weeks (ETN 1996).

Contact us today or visit our website to learn more about abamectin.