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How to Manage Pests

UC Pest Management Guidelines

| More pests | More crops | About guidelines |

Small Grains

Relative Toxicities of Insecticides and Miticides Used in Small Grains to Natural Enemies and Honey Bees

(Reviewed 2/07, updated 2/09)

In this Guideline:
Common name (trade name and formulation) Mode of action 1 Selectivity2
(affected groups)		 Predatory mites 3 General predators 4 Parasites 4 Honey bees 5 Duration of impact
to natural enemies 6
Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. kurstaki 11.B2 narrow (caterpillars) L L L IV none
carbofuran (Furadan F) 1A broad (insects, mites) H H H I moderate
chlorpyrifos (Lorsban EC) 1B broad (insects, mites) M H H I moderate
dimethoate (EC) 1B broad (insects, mites) H H H I moderate/long
disulfoton granular 1B — L L L IV short
malathion (EC) 1B broad (insects, mites) H H H II short/moderate
methomyl (Lannate SP) 1A broad (insects, mites) H H H III short/moderate
methyl parathion (Penncap-M) 1B — M M M I —
H = high M = moderate L = low — = no information
1 Rotate chemicals with a different mode-of-action Group number, and do not use products with the same mode-of-action Group number more than twice per season to help prevent the development of resistance. For example, the organophosphates have a Group number of 1B; chemicals with a 1B Group number should be alternated with chemicals that have a Group number other than 1B. Mode of action Group numbers are assigned by IRAC (Insecticide Resistance Action Committee). For additional information, see their Web site at http://www.irac-online.org/.
2 Selectivity: Broad means it affects most groups of insects and mites; narrow means it affects only a few specific groups.
3 Generally, toxicities are to western predatory mite, Galendromus occidentalis.
4 Toxicities are averages of reported effects and should be used only as a general guide. Actual toxicity of a specific chemical depends on the species of predator or parasite, environmental conditions, and application rate.
5 Ratings are as follows: I = Do not apply to blooming plants; II = Apply only during late evening; III = Apply only during late evening, night, or early morning; and IV = Apply at any time with reasonable safety to bees. For more information, see How to Reduce Bee Poisoning From Pesticides (164 KB, PDF), Pacific Northwest Extension Publication PNW591.
6  Duration: Short means hours to days; moderate means days to 2 weeks; and long means many weeks or months.

[Precautions]

PUBLICATION

[UC Peer Reviewed]

UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines: Small Grains
UC ANR Publication 3466
General Information
Acknowledgements: This table was compiled based on research data and experience of University of California scientists who work on a variety of crops and contribute to the Pest Management Guideline database, and from Flint, M.L. and S.H. Dreistadt. 1998. Natural Enemies Handbook: An Illustrated Guide to Biological Pest Control, ANR Publication 3386.

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Statewide IPM Program, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California
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