with my growing reputation as a pied piper for all living parasitic creepy crawlies known to man, perhaps i should consider spending a little money in B&Q


cheers felix

I had heard!

I too have used this product and boy has it sorted the mites that i have had problems with for over a year.

Thanks Felix.

The active ingrediant in that pesticide, Thiamethoxam, appears to be a known carcinogen. Bad stuff.

Abamectin is a mixture of avermectins containing > 80% avermectin B1a and < 20% avermectin B1b (1). These two components, B1a and B1b have very similar biological and toxicological properties (5). The avermectins are insecticidal or anthelmintic compounds derived from the soil bacterium Streptomyces avermitilis (2). Abamectin is a natural fermentation product of this bacterium (5). Abamectin is used to control insect and mite pests of a range of agronomic, fruit, vegetable and ornamental crops, and it is used by homeowners for control of fire ants (5). Doses of 50 to 200 ug/kg of ivermectin, a similar member of the avermectin family of comounds, is widely used to treat humans in the World Health Organization onchocerciasis (river blindness) program (2, 8).

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Abamectin is a highly toxic material, however most formulated products containing abamectin are of low toxicity to mammals (5, 7). Emulsifiable concentrate formulations may cause moderate eye irritation and mild skin irritation (1). Symptoms of poisoning observed in laboratory animals include pupil dilation, vomiting, convulsions and/or tremors, and coma (5).

Abamectin acts on insects by interfering with neural and neuromuscular transmission. It acts on a specific type of synapse located only within the brain and is protected by the blood-brain barrier. However, at very high doses, the mammalian blood-brain barrier can be penetrated, causing symptoms of CNS depression such as incoordination, tremors, lethargy, excitation and pupil dilation. Very high doses have caused death from respiratory failure (2).

Abamectin is not readily absorbed through skin. Tests with monkeys show that less than 1% of dermally applied abamectin was absorbed into the bloodstream through the skin (5). Abamectin does not cause allergic skin reactions (7).

Mutagenic Effects
Abamectin is not mutagenic. The microbial mutagenesis and mutagenicity tests in live mice were negative.

Carcinogenic Effects
Abamectin was not carcinogenic in rats or mice fed the maximum tolerated doses. The rats were fed dietary doses of 0.75, 1.5, or 2 mg/kg/day for 24 months, and the mice were fed 2, 4 or 8 mg/kg/day for 22 months (5).

Fate in Humans and Animals
Tests with laboratory animals show that ingested avermectin B1a is absorbed into the bloodstream by mammals and that it is rapidly eliminated from the body within 2 days via the feces (7, 8). Rats given single oral doses of radio-labeled avermectin B1a excreted most of the dose (69 to 82%) unchanged in the feces. The half-life of avermectin B1a residues in rat tissues averaged 1.2 days (4). Similarly, when monkeys were given a single intravenous injection of avermectin B1a, more than 90% of the dose was excreted in the feces within 7 days of the dosing (5, 8). Lactating goats given daily oral doses for 10 days excreted 89% of the administered avermectin, mainly in the feces. Less than 1% was recovered in the urine (4).

Effects on Birds
Abamectin is relatively non-toxic to birds (7).

Effects on Aquatic Organisms
Abamectin is highly toxic to fish and aquatic invertebrates (7).

Effects on Other Animals (Nontarget species)
Abamectin is highly toxic to bees, with a 24-hour contact LC50 of 0.002 ug/bee and an oral LD50 of 0.009 ug/bee. Rapid degradation of abamectin will reduce the risk of bee deaths. Citrus and alfalfa foliage was not toxic to bees 24 to 48 hours after treatment with abamectin (6).

Breakdown of Chemical in Soil and Groundwater
Because abamectin is nearly insoluble in water and has a strong tendency to bind to soil particles, it is therefore immobile in soil and unlikely to leach or contaminate groundwater (6, 7). Compounds produced by the degradation of abamectin are also immobile and unlikely to contaminate groundwater (6).

Abamectin is rapidly degraded in soil. At the soil surface, it is subject to rapid photodegradation, with half-lives of 8 and 21 hours (6) or 1 day (7) reported. When applied to the soil surface and not shaded, its soil half-life was about 1 week. Under dark, aerobic conditions, the soil half-life was 2 weeks to 2 months (7). The half-life for avermectin B1a in fine sandy loam, clay and construction grade sand was 20 to 47 days. Loss of abamectin from these soils is thought to be due to microbial degradation because abamectin remained undegraded in sterile soil. The rate of degradation was significantly decreased under anaerobic conditions (6).

Breakdown of Chemical in Surface Water
Abamectin is rapidly degraded in water. After an initial distribution, its half-life in artificial pond water was 4 days. Its half- life in pond sediment was 2 to 4 weeks (6). It undergoes rapid photodegradation, with a half-life of 12 hours in water (6, 7). When tested at pH levels common to surface and groundwater (pH 5, 7, and 9), abamectin did not hydrolyze (6).

Breakdown of Chemical in Vegetation
Plants do not absorb abamectin from the soil (6). Abamectin is subject to rapid degradation when present as a thin film, as on treated leaf surfaces. Under laboratory conditions and in the presence of light, its half-life as a thin film was 4 to 6 hours (6).

Citrus and alfalfa foliage was not toxic to bees 24 to 48 hours after treatment with abamectin (6).

Because abamectin is nearly insoluble in water and has a strong tendency to bind to soil particles, it is therefore immobile in soil and unlikely to leach or contaminate groundwater (6, 7). Compounds produced by the degradation of abamectin are also immobile and unlikely to contaminate groundwater (6). Abamectin is rapidly degraded in soil.

Abamectin is rapidly degraded in water. After an initial distribution, its half-life in artificial pond water was 4 days. Its half- life in pond sediment was 2 to 4 weeks (6). It undergoes rapid photodegradation, with a half-life of 12 hours in water.

Plants do not absorb abamectin from the soil (6). Abamectin is subject to rapid degradation when present as a thin film, as on treated leaf surfaces. Under laboratory conditions and in the presence of light, its half-life as a thin film was 4 to 6 hours.

Cool...sounds great I may have to pick up some of that...spider mites are rife round here during the summer

It certainly ends their reign of terror in no time shame they don't just do plain abamectin, that could then be used in flower as it only persists for 7 days.

Breakdown in soil and groundwater: Ivermectin is rapidly degraded in soil. At the soil surface, it is subject to rapid photodegradation, with half-lives of 8 hours to 1 day reported. When applied to the soil surface and not shaded, its soil half-life is about 1 week. Under dark, aerobic conditions, the soil half-life was 2 weeks to 2 months. Loss of ivermectin from soils is thought to be due to microbial degradation. The rate of degradation was significantly decreased under anaerobic conditions. Because ivermectin is nearly insoluble in water and has a strong tendency to bind to soil particles, it is immobile in soil and unlikely to leach or contaminate groundwater. Compounds produced by the degradation of ivermectin are also immobile and unlikely to contaminate groundwater.

Breakdown in water: Ivermectin is rapidly degraded in water. After initial distribution, its half-life in artificial pond water was 4 days. Its half-life in pond sediment was 2 to 4 weeks. It undergoes rapid photodegradation, with a half-life of 12 hours in water. When tested at pH levels common to surface and groundwater (pH 5, 7, and 9), ivermectin did not hydrolyze.

Breakdown in vegetation: Plants do not absorb ivermectin from the soil. Ivermectin is subject to rapid degradation when present as a thin film, as on treated leaf surfaces. Under laboratory conditions and in the presence of light, its half-life as a thin film was 4 to 6 hours.

had to wipe a little tear from my eye when i saw you introducing borg to that pretty little apollo still, sacrifices must be made in the continued search for chemical allies (as opposed to Chemical Ali) knowing they are being put there to die eased my suffering somewhat tho

any systemic or tanslaminar activity yet?