Provado new formulation

[Paul D]

I see that following the ban of the Neonicotinoid-based Provado, they have changed the formulation of "Ultimate Bug Killer" to contain the pyrethroid Deltamethrin instead. Has anyone experience of using this for controlling mealy bug, spider mite, or thrips?

[el48tel]

For what it's worth ... been using the new formulation stuff since it came out ... seems to kill most stuff ... as for specifics .. bit early to tell

[iann]

Same name, completely different mode of action. No longer systemic. May or may not be effective, depending on resistance, but you can say that against almost anything. No longer effective as a soil drench. Requires multiple treatments for good control. Lots of pyrethroid insecticides available, all fairly similar. The neonicotinoid Provado was not really effective against mites, Deltamethrin is more likely to work.

Use Bug Clear Ultra Vine Weevil Killer as a soil drench for systemic action, or various Bug Clear Ultra products to spray. Labelled for mites but not particularly effective.

[SpikyMike]

What would you advise for Brevipalpus mites?

[Chris L]

Dynamite. I think that is the only thing that will kill mealies.

My Dad mentioned a while ago that he had heard on the radio someone saying they watered/sprayed their plants (probably not cacti/succulents) with water over 40oC as that effectivly started to cook the bugs. Suppose it is the old Greenfly remedy "spray with warm soapy water".

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10902365
https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... dococcidae

Not tried it yet as it has been winter.
Also not sure what it will do to roots and plant......

[Herts Mike]

That they go next door...

[el48tel]

Soap .... as in old fashioned hard white or green soap ... shaved with a knife and added to boiled water is certainly harmful to many insects. Modern detergents contain all kinds of chemicals and much sodium chloride .... which also kill bugs ........ and plants.

[Terry S.]

It is now almost impossible to get complete control of mealy bugs. Provado has been a synthetic pyrethroid now for some time and there are various other pyrethroids available under different brand names, all of which will have a similar mode of action. The last time I checked, Bug Clear Ultra still contained a different class of insecticide, the neonicotinoid acetamiprid. The other types of insecticides available to the amateur are the ones which have a physical mode of action which smother the beasties, e.g. SB Plant Invigorator. My suggestion is that you use all three types of product and rotate them in use on your plant collection. But you won't eradicate the mealies completely!

[Paul D]

Dynamite. I think that is the only thing that will kill mealies.

My Dad mentioned a while ago that he had heard on the radio someone saying they watered/sprayed their plants (probably not cacti/succulents) with water over 40oC as that effectivly started to cook the bugs. Suppose it is the old Greenfly remedy "spray with warm soapy water".

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10902365
https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... dococcidae

Not tried it yet as it has been winter.
Also not sure what it will do to roots and plant......

This is actually very interesting. I'm wondering about trying this
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07 ... SCN6&psc=1
On some non-precious plants. Looks like 49 degrees C for 20 mins.

[ralphrmartin]

It is now almost impossible to get complete control of mealy bugs.

Even if you douse the whole plant in meths?

Of course this is going to be very expensive if you need to treat a whole collection - but is viable if you have purchased the odd infected plant...