| Common name (trade name) | Mode of action 1 | Selectivity 2 (affected groups) | Predatory mites 3 | General predators 4 | Parasites 4 | Honey bees 5 | Duration of impact to natural enemies 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| azadirachtin (Neemix) | un | broad (insects, mites) | M | L/M | L/M | II | short |
| Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. kurstaki | 11A | narrow (caterpillars) | L | L | L | III | none |
| bifenazate (Acramite) | un | narrow (spider mites) | L | L | L | II | short |
| carbaryl (Sevin) 80S | 1A | broad (insects, mites) | L/H | H | H | I | long |
| carbaryl (Sevin) XLR Plus | 1A | broad (insects, mites) | L | H | L | I | long |
| diazinon–foliar | 1B | broad (insects, mites) | L | H | H | I | moderate to long |
| diflubenzuron (Dimilin) | 15 | — | L | H | L | II | — |
| endosulfan (Thiodan) | 2A | broad (insects, mites) | L | M | M | II | short |
| esfenvalerate (Asana) | 3A | broad (insect, mites) | H | M | H | I | moderate |
| fenbutatin oxide (Vendex) | 12B | narrow (pest mites) | L | L | L | III | short |
| hexythiazox (Savey) | 10A | narrow (mites) | L | L | L | II | short |
| imidacloprid | 4A | narrow (sucking insects) | — | — | H | I | short to moderate |
| lambda-cyhalothrin (Warrior) | 3A | broad (plant bugs, beetles, caterpillars) | H | H | H | I | moderate |
| methidathion (Supracide) | 1B | broad (insects, mites) | H | H | H | I | moderate to long |
| methoxyfenozide (Intrepid) | 18 | narrow (caterpillars) | L | L | L | II | none |
| neem oil (Trilogy) | un | broad (soft-bodied insects) | L | L | L | II | short |
| petroleum oil | un | broad (exposed insects, mites) | L | L | L | II | short to none |
| phosmet (Imidan) | 1B | broad (insects, mites) | H | H | H | I | moderate to long |
| pyriproxyfen (Esteem, Seize) | 7C | narrow (scale, beetles) | L | H7 | L | II | long |
| spinosad (Entrust, Success) | 5 | caterpillars, thrips, whiteflies, aphids, scales, leafminers | L | M8 | L/M | II | short |
| sulfur | un | narrow (mites and citrus thrips) | L/H | L | H | III | short |
| thiamethoxam (Actara) | 4A | narrow (sucking insects) | —9 | — | 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 the 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 for insecticides and miticides (un=unknown or uncertain mode of action) 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. Where differences have been measured in toxicity of the pesticide-resistant strain versus the native strain, these are listed as pesticide-resistant strain/native strain. |
| 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 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; 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 2 weeks; and long means many weeks or months. |
| 7 | Kills lady beetles. |
| 8 | Toxic against some natural enemies (predatory thrips, syrphid fly and lacewing larvae, beetles) when sprayed and up to 5-7 days after, especially for syrphid fly larvae. |
| 9 | May cause increase in spider mite populations. |
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.
Text Updated: 04/09