2. How to choose the
formulations you use
With so many pesticide choices available, it
can often be difficult determining which one
to use. Not only are there several active
ingredients from which to choose, there are
also numerous formulations available. A single
active ingredient for example, may be
available more than one formulation.
This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY.

3. This course covers
types of
formulations and
how to choose the
best one for the
job.
• When you're finished you'll
know how to choose the most
effective formulation, for the
pest, the application surface.
You'll also learn about
addressing odor concerns,
staining concerns and non-
target organisms

4. How to Choose the
Formulation You Use
• With so many pesticide choices available,
it can often be difficult determining which
one to use. Not only are there several
active ingredients from which to choose,
there are also numerous formulations
available. A single active ingredient for
example, may be available in more than
one formulation.

5. Why have pesticide
manufacturers
developed new
formulations? Several
factors have driven
product development
in this direction. These
include:
• 1. Greatly increased
development costs
2. Competitive pressures
from other manufacturers
3. Technological
advancements
4. Environmental concerns
and safety issues
This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-SA.

6. There are four primary
benefits to developing
new formulations.
• First, they can increase safety to the
environment, the customer, and you.
• Second, improved formulations can
reduce waste.
• Third, they enable you to more effectively
target specific pests and or locations.
• Fourth, improved formulations can often
provide enhanced efficacy.

7. Types of Formulations
• Pesticides are available in several formulations. Each
formulation has its own advantages and disadvantages
such as ease of mixing and application, storage, transport,
cleanup, recommended surface type, flammability and
drift potential. Let's look at each of the main formulation
types.

8. Emulsifiable concentrates
• Emulsifiable concentrates - Most emulsifiable concentrates mix
with oil as well as water to provide the end dilution that is used for
application. They are easy to mix, require little agitation during use,
and there is little visible residue after application. Disadvantages
are that the solvents may damage some surfaces or sprayer
components, undiluted product is often flammable, skin
absorption is usually faster than with non-liquid formulations, the
finished spray conducts electricity, there may be some solvent
odor, and they are easily absorbed by porous surfaces.

9. Wettable or soluble
powders
• Wettable or soluble powders - These are
concentrated powders containing
insecticides that mix with water to form a
suspension or liquid. They have low to no
odor, low cost and are easily stored,
transported and handled. In addition, they
are nonflammable and are not absorbed by
porous surfaces.
• They do, however, require more agitation in
the spray tank than ECs, residues may be
more visible on some surfaces, and there is a
greater inhalation hazard when handling
concentrate than with ECs.

10. Dusts
• Dusts - Contain technical grade pesticides
mixed with a fine material that acts as a carrier,
which alone has little if any effect on pests.
• Advantages of dusts are that they are ready for
use, have no solvent problems, work well on
porous surfaces, provide longer residual action
than most spray formulations (often because
they contain a higher percentage of active
ingredient than sprays), and are excellent for
penetrating spaces such as wall voids, attics,
pipe ducts and sewers.
• Disadvantages include the potential of drift to
non-target areas, they can be bulky to store,
care is needed to avoid inhalation exposure to
technicians and customers
This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-NC.

11. Baits
• Often, baits are pesticides mixed with a food material that is
attractive to a pest. Some contain toxicants and kill the pest
directly; others are insect growth regulators and slowly
reduce the pest population. There are insecticide,
termiticide, and rodenticide baits. Baits are formulated as
pastes, gels, dry granules, pellets, seeds, or molded cakes.
• The development of new bait formulations, such as gels
and pastes, and the improvements in delivery systems,
including injector systems and bait stations, allow more
precise pesticide application in and around the harborages
where the pests are most likely to be found.
• Technological advances have reduced the amount of the
active ingredient needed to achieve effective control and
also the volatility and odor of products. These changes have
reduced the risk of human and pet exposure to pesticides
without compromising effective results.

12. Baits
• Baits are generally ready for use, they may have a field life of many
weeks, they work on both porous and non-porous surfaces, they are
particularly effective against pests that forage widely for food and
pests such as social insects that share their food.
• Baits can be bulky to handle and store, may deteriorate under damp
conditions, they may pose a serious hazard to non-target species
unless confined to inaccessible sites or tamper-resistant bait stations,
and they often provide poor results where there are many
competing food sources.

13. Aerosols
• These may be ready-to-use pressurized containers that contain
dilute insecticide or they may be produced by special application
equipment by forcing liquids through a nozzle as they are mixed
with air. Advantages include their ready to use convenience and that
they are the best system for space treatments against dispersed
pests such as flies.
• The small droplet size allows fairly uniform dispersal throughout a
void area. Among the disadvantages of aerosols, many containing
liquefied hydrocarbon propellants such as propane may be
flammable and all pressurized containers must be stored away from
heat, overdosing is easier than with many other formulations, care is
needed to avoid drift to non-target areas and to avoid inhalation
exposure
This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-NC.

14. Granules
Granules - Dry formulations that consist of an active ingredient
impregnated onto a dry carrier usually made of clay, corncob or
some other non-reactive material.
Granules are ready for use, there are no solvent problems, they
perform well on porous as well as non-porous surfaces, they
don't present the drift hazard of sprays and dusts, they sink
through vegetation to the soil surface better than sprays or dust
and are therefore more effective against pests traveling on the
soil surface.
On the downside, they are bulky to handle and store, are not
practical for indoor use, are often more expensive than
sprayable formulation, and may require irrigation for best
results.

15. Microencapsulated
• In a microencapsulated product the active ingredient is encased in
microscopic permeable capsules that permit only very slow release of
pesticide molecules. The encapsulation process reduces environmental
degradation of the active ingredients, they are not absorbed by porous
surfaces, encapsulation reduces the intensity of odor arising from the
active ingredient, and there is a much lower toxicity than other
formulations of the same active ingredient. Microencapsulated products
may be harder to mix than other formulations, they require more
agitation than ECs, they may leave visible deposits on some surfaces,
and they are often more expensive than many sprayable formulations.

16. Microencapsulated
• Finally, there are several other formulations on the market
including water soluble packs, liquids-in-a-bag, foams, point
source and many pre-packaged containers. In addition, continued
research ensures that the industry will have a steady supply of new
and improved formulations from which to choose.
• How do you choose what formulation to use?
• How then do you choose which one to use in a particular
situation?

17. You choose after carefully considering several
criteria:
• Pest - Different pest species are more effectively controlled by
some formulations than others. For example, aerosols are effective
in reducing flying insects while granular insecticides may be more
effective in managing those species that crawl along the outside
perimeter. Baits are effective for cockroaches, ants and termites but
not for fleas. In addition, some formulations are specifically labeled
for specific insect species while other formulations of the same
active ingredient are not.

18. You choose after carefully considering several
criteria:
• Surface - The type of surface to be treated will often determine the
correct formulation. Wettable powders are more effective on
porous surfaces, for example, than are emulsifiable concentrates
because the active ingredient remains on the surface. Granules are
effective in thatch or mulch areas because they sift down through
and settle where the pests are living.

19. You choose after carefully considering several
criteria:
• Location - You must consider where, either in or around the
account, you are going to make a pesticide application. Is it an area
that is restricted or open? Are you going to apply it overhead, in an
unventilated or enclosed area, or below a water table? Will it be in
a location where accidental exposure might occur? Is there a
possibility of non-target organisms either coming in contact with it
or being poisoned?

20. You choose after
carefully
considering several
criteria:
• Environmental factors -
Temperature, humidity, sunlight,
and drift potential can all
influence the formulation you
choose.
• Baits, for example, hold up well
in moderate to warm
temperatures and pose no drift
problems; however, in high
humidity or moisture conditions
they can break down or mold
quickly.
• Emulsifiable concentrates may
be subject to drift and high
temperatures.

21. You choose
after carefully considering
several criteria:
• Odor concerns - In cases where
the customer has concerns
about odor, you will need to
ensure that low odor
formulations are used. Many
times the odor of emulsifiable
concentrates comes from the
solvents and thus they may not
be good to use. Wettable
powders may also produce
odors that can be offensive or
linger. In these situations, baits
and dusts may be the best
choice.

22. Staining concerns
• Any formulations containing
water may result in staining
problems.
• Wood, wallpaper, carpets and
many other surfaces can be
stained or discolored by the
application of plain water and
some of the insecticides
themselves may stain.
This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-SA.

23. Non-target
organisms
• Non-target organisms - the
presence of pets, children,
elderly, or invalids may preclude
the use of certain formulations.
For example, you can't use a
total release aerosol in an area
where people are present and
cannot be moved.
• Nor can you use bait in an area
where children might find the
station or the bait itself an
attractive nuisance or where pets
might encounter them.
This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-SA.

24. Customer
• Customer - Finally, you must consider the
desires of the customer when determining
what formulation to use. They may have
reservations about certain types of
formulations or may have specific desires
regarding others.
• For example, some customers will insist on
the use of total release aerosols while others
may not want them used. Some may prefer
that you use dust in void areas or behind
baseboards rather than aerosols or liquids.
• Baits may be preferred by some while others
may not want you to use baits. In addition,
the cost of treatment may vary depending
upon the formulations you use. As such, this
may drive the customer's request for the use
of one type over another.

25. The IPM approach
to pest
management can
and often does
include the
employment of
chemical control
measures.
• Over the last several years there has been an
increase in the types of formulations available as a
result of a number of factors including development
costs, competitive pressures, and increased
environmental and safety concerns.
• The selection of the proper formulation is as
important as choosing the proper active ingredient.
To effectively choose, several criteria must be
considered.
• These include the pest, the surface upon which the
application will be made, the location within the
structure, environmental factors, odor and staining
concerns, the potential for harm to non-target
organisms, and finally, the customer themselves.
• Without the proper choice of formulation, you
cannot undertake an effective management
program.