| Common name (Example trade name) |
Mode of action1 | Selectivity2 (affected groups) |
Predatory mites3 | General predators4 | Parasites4 | Honey bees5 | Duration of impact to natural enemies6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| acephate (Orthene) | 1B | broad (insects) | H | H | M/H | I | moderate |
| acetamiprid (Assail) | 4A | moderate (larvae, sucking insects) | —7 | —8 | — | II | moderate |
| azadirachtin (DeBug, Aza-Direct) | un | broad (insects, mites) | M | L/M | L/M | II | short |
| Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. aizawai (Agree) | 11A | narrow (caterpillars) | L | L | L | II | short |
| Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. kurstaki (Condor) | 11A | narrow (caterpillars) | L | L | L | III | short |
| Beauveria bassiana strain GHA (Mycotrol) | — | broad (insects) | L | L/M | L | II | — |
| beta-cyfluthrin (Baythroid) | 3A | broad (insects, mites) | H | H | H | I | moderate to long |
| bifenthrin (Brigade, Capture) | 3A | broad (insects) | H | H | H | I | long |
| buprofezin (Courier) | 16 | narrow (sucking insects, beetles) | L | H | L | II | long |
| heat-killed Burkholderia spp. strain A396 and spent fermentation media (Venerate) | — | broad (insects, mites) | L | — | — | II | — |
| carbaryl bait (Sevin bait) | 1A | narrow (armyworms, cutworms) | L | L | L | III | short |
| carbaryl (Sevin) | 1A | broad (insects) | M/H | H | H | I | long |
| chlorantraniliprole (Coragen) | 28 | broad (caterpillars, lygus, maggots) | L | L | L/M | III | — |
| clothianidin (Belay) | 4A | sucking insects (aphids) | — | M/H | M/H | I | long |
| clothianidin
seed treatment
(NipsIt Vegetables) |
4A | broad (soil pests, sucking insects) | — | — | L | I | — |
| cryolite (Prokil) | 8C | narrow (foliage-chewing insects) | L | L | L | III | short |
| cyantraniliprole, foliar (Exirel) | 28 | narrow (thrips, leafminers) | — | L | L | I | short |
| cyantraniliprole, soil (Verimark) | 28 | narrow (thrips, leafminers) | — | L | L | I | short |
| cyromazine (Trigard) | 17 | narrow (leafminers) | L | L | L | II | short |
| diazinon | 1B | broad (insects) | L | H | H | I | moderate to long |
| dinotefuran (Scorpion, Venom) | 4A | narrow (sucking insects) | L | — | L | I | short |
| emamectin benzoate (Proclaim) | 6 | narrow (caterpillars) | — | — | — | I | — |
| esfenvalerate (Asana) | 3A | broad (insects) | H | M | H | I | moderate |
| ethoprop (Mocap) | 1B | narrow (soil insects) | L | L | L | II | moderate |
| fenpropathrin (Danitol) | 3A | broad (insects, mites) | H | H | H | I | — |
| flonicamid (Beleaf) | 29 | narrow (aphids, plant bugs) | L | L | L | III | short |
| flupyradifurone (Sivanto Prime) | 4D | narrow (aphids, leafhoppers, whiteflies) | — | — | — | I | — |
| imidacloprid (Admire Pro) | 4A | narrow (sucking insects) | — | M | H | I | long |
| indoxacarb (Avaunt) | 22A | narrow (caterpillars) | — | — | — | I | — |
| insecticidal soap (M-Pede) | un | broad (insects) | M | M | M | III | short to none |
| Isaria fumosorosea
Apopka strain
97
(PFR-97) |
— | broad (insects, mites) | — | — | — | II | — |
| kaolin clay (Surround) | un | broad (insects, mites) | M | M | — | III | long |
| lambda-cyhalothrin (Warrior) | 3A | broad (insects) | H | H | H | I | moderate |
| methomyl (Lannate) | 1A | broad (insects) | H | H | H | I | moderate |
| methoxyfenozide (Intrepid) | 18 | narrow (caterpillars) | L | L | L | II | short |
| narrow-range oils | — | broad (exposed insects) | L | L | L | II | short to none |
| novaluron (Rimon) | 15 | broad (caterpillars, sucking insects) | L | L | — | I | short |
| permethrin (Perm-Up) | 3A | broad (insects, mites) | L | H | H | I | long |
| polyhedral occlusion bodies (OBs) of the nucleopolyhedrovirus of Spodoptera exigua (Spod-X) | — | narrow (caterpillars) | — | — | — | — | — |
| pymetrozine (Fulfill) | 9B | narrow (aphids, whiteflies) | — | — | — | II | — |
| pyrethrins (PyGanic) | 3A | broad (insects) | — | M | M | I | short |
| spinetoram (Radiant) | 5 | narrow (aphids, caterpillars, leafminers, whiteflies) | L/H | M9 | L/M | II | moderate10 |
| spinosad bait (Seduce) | 5 | narrow (cutworms) | L | L | L | II | none to short |
| spinosad (Entrust, Success) | 5 | narrow (aphids, caterpillars, leafminers, whiteflies) | L | M9 | L/M | II | short to moderate9 |
| spiromesifen (Oberon) | 23 | narrow (whiteflies) | — | — | — | II | — |
| spirotetramat (Movento) | 23 | narrow (aphids, whiteflies) | — | — | — | II | — |
| sulfoxaflor (Sequoia) | 4C | — | — | — | — | I | — |
| thiamethoxam (Actara, Platinum) | 4A | narrow (sucking insects) | —7 | — | M | I | moderate |
| thiamethoxam/ chlorantraniliprole (Durivo) | 4A/28 | broad (caterpillars, maggots, sucking insects) | — | — | — | I/III | moderate |
| zeta-cypermethrin (Mustang) | 3A | broad (insects, mites) | H | M | M | I | moderate |
| H = high M = moderate L = low — = no information un = unknown or uncertain mode of action | |
| 1 | Rotate insecticides 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 development of resistance. For example, the organophosphates have a group number of 1B; insecticides with a 1B group number should be alternated with insecticides that have a group number other than 1B. Mode-of-action group numbers are assigned by IRAC (Insecticide Resistance Action Committee). |
| 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 insecticide depends on factors including the application rate, environmental conditions, and the species and life stage of the parasite or predator. |
| 5 | Ratings are as follows: I–Do not apply or allow to drift to plants that are flowering. II–Do not apply or allow to drift to plants that are flowering, except when the application is made between sunset and midnight if allowed by the pesticide label and regulations. Do not allow pesticide to contaminate water accessible to bees, including puddles. III–No bee precaution, except when required by the pesticide label or regulations. For more information about pesticide synergistic effects, see Bee Precaution Pesticide Ratings. |
| 6 | Duration: Short means hours to days; moderate means days to two weeks; and long means many weeks or months. |
| 7 | May cause increase in spider mites. |
| 8 | Low acute toxicity, but can impact reproductive capacity. |
| 9 | Toxic against some natural enemies (predatory beetles, lacewing larvae, syrphid fly larvae, and predatory thrips) when sprayed and up to 5 to 7 days after, especially for syrphid fly larvae. |
| 10 | Residual is moderate if solution is between pH of 7 to 8. |
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 Guidelines database, and from Flint, M. L. and S. H. Dreistadt. 1998. Natural Enemies Handbook: An Illustrated Guide to Biological Pest Control, ANR Publication 3386.