Imidacloprid

Imidacloprid is a widely used insecticide and a popular active ingredient in a variety of product formulations. It is used in a number of different ways, including crop and vegetation protection, insecticide sprays, termite control, and flea control, among other pests.

On this page, you will learn a little about Imidacloprid and why this active ingredient effectively treats various pest problems.

What is Imidacloprid?

Imidacloprid, first registered 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, such as liquids, granules, dusts, and gels.

How Does Imidacloprid Work?

Imidacloprid is a neonicotinoid, so its mode of action is by contact or ingestion. This ingredient was made to mimic the effects of nicotine, which is normally found in tobacco. Products made with imidacloprid work to interfere with the pest's central nervous system, inflicting paralysis. This creates an inability to function or eat, eventually leading to the pest's death. Depending on the formulation, exposed pests can take minutes to several hours to die.

Many imidacloprid products can be applied to protect plants from sucking pests like aphids. These products have excellent water solubility, enabling them to be applied to the soil and absorbed by plant roots. This product travels through the plant to the leaves, where it is ingested by pests that feed on the plant.

Benefits of Imidacloprid

Imidacloprid comes in various formulations. It is used in liquid insecticide concentrates and gel baits, among other applications.

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

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

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.

Is Imidacloprid Safe?

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 (PPE) when applying insecticides and keep them out of the reach of 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.

What To Expect

Imidacloprid has a dual mode of action, so it can affect insects upon contact or ingestion. After application, once the insect has been exposed to the active ingredient, its feeding activity stops within minutes to hours. They often die within 1 to 2 days, but depending on the formulation and the target pest, it can take up to 7 days.

How to Use Imidacloprid Products

Liquid Imidacloprid Products

If you are looking for a versatile insecticide that can kill many different insects, we recommend a product like Dominion 2L. Dominion 2L is a suspended concentrate made with 21.4% imidacloprid.

Dominion 2L can be used as a systemic treatment to kill sucking pests, leaf-eating pests, turf pests, or wood-infesting insects. This product is a suspended concentrate, so it must be mixed with water before application. For most residential applications, we recommend you mix and apply this product with a handheld pump sprayer. To treat termites, you will apply this product as a drench application.

To control most sucking and leaf-eating pests on shrubs and foliage, this product's mix rate is 1.5 fl. oz. per 100 gallons of water. Spray the solution over foliage and ornamental plants and spray underneath the leaves.

The application rate is 0.46 to 0.6 fl. oz. per 1,000 square feet to control turf pests. We recommend mixing this product into 1 gallon of water and broadcasting your solution throughout your entire lawn to kill active pests and prevent re-infestation.

To control termites, create a trench 6 inches wide and 6 inches deep around your home's foundation. Mix a solution at the labeled mix rate of 2.4 fluid ounces of product per 4 gallons of water. Pour the solution into the trench at 4 gallons per 10 linear feet.

Pests that ingest or make contact with the chemical or its residual will have their nervous systems impacted and will die within 24 hours. Dominion 2L will leave a residual that will continue to control pests for up to 3 months.

Bait Gel Imidacloprid Products

If you are dealing with ants or cockroaches, you can use bait gel products like Ant-Trax Ant Bait or Apex Cockroach Bait. Ant-Trax is made with 0.01% imidacloprid, and Apex is made with 2.15% imidacloprid. These bait gels contain attractants that make them appealing to their respective pests and will kill entire nests or colonies.

To use Ant-Trax, apply 4 drops per square yard around areas where you have seen ant activity. To use Apex, apply 3 drops per square yard to control small cockroaches or 5 drops per square yard to kill large cockroaches. Pests will consume the bait and share it with the rest of their colonies, killing their populations.