November 2017 – Blogs to keep termites and insects away from plastics

Diamondback moth originated in Europe has a global distribution and are found in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas, Australia, New Zealand, and the Hawaiian Islands. The species belonging to Plutella genus are small greyish-brown moth sometimes has a cream-colored band that forms a diamond along its back. Hence the name Diamondback Moth.

The moth having a short life cycle of nearly 14 days bears the capability of migrating over long distances. Diamondback moth usually feeds on the leaves of cruciferous crops and plants that produce glucosinolates. They deposit their eggs on host plants with a larval infestation. All the plants are not used for these moths as host plants as the larvae fail to survive. Hence the plants which produce glucosinolates are selected as host plants by this super pest diamondback moth.

Here are some of the evidence of the plants being considered as host plants leading to several damages to crop and crop yield.

UK brussels sprout harvest hit by ‘super-pest’ moths

Wednesday 7 December 2016, Published in The Guardian

Love them or loathe them, they are a staple part of the Christmas dinner. However, consumers shopping for sprouts this year could have less choice than usual after some British-grown crops were ravaged by “super-pest” moths during the summer.

The problem has arisen as a result of an explosion in the numbers of diamondback moths arriving in the UK from Europe, which can cause huge damage to crops such as sprouts, cabbages and cauliflowers as they are resistant to most insecticides.

Growers reported problems in the Channel Islands but this week some growers in Lincolnshire – which supplies almost two-thirds of all sprouts produced in the country – reported losses of up to 60%.

Bad news for farmers, good news for children: Brussels sprouts crop faces Christmas ruin

By Leon Watson, 30 NOVEMBER 2016, Published in the Telegraph news

For some, it threatens to ruin Christmas; for others, perhaps of younger generations, it is the promise of joyous relief.

Brussels sprouts could be off the menu this year as the crop could be ruined by a plague of immigrant moths invading the UK.

Supplies of the vegetable are already running low after several farmers’ festive crops were decimated by armies of the cabbage-loving diamondback insects.

The moth especially likes to munch on Brassica plants, which include cabbages, cauliflower, and broccoli. And it has become increasingly resistant to available insecticides.

The agriculture industry has been trying to find biological and natural ways to eliminate the diamondback moth especially since the moths have become resistant to pesticides. Common enemies of the moth include the parasitoids or lacewings. Lacewings feed on eggs and young larvae, while the parasitoids only feed on the eggs.

It has been stated that “the insect diamondback moths, notorious among farmers as pests that cause $4 to $5 billion of damage a year worldwide.”

And In the Horticulture Week it has beed stated as “non-native arrival to the US, the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) is the world’s most damaging agricultural pest of brassica crops, costing US farmers over $4 billion yearly in crop losses and control management.”

To stop the infestation originally, pesticides were used to kill the moths but Diamondbacks have developed resistance to many of the common chemicals. For this reason, different biological, cultural, and chemical controls are being developed to reduce the destruction caused by the moths but proven to be ineffective.

Hence need a solution which gives complete protection to crops from these pesky pests.

C Tech Corporation provides you with value-add product called as Termirepel™ which is an anti-insect aversive. Termirepel™ is manufactured on the basis of green technology. It is durable at extreme climatic conditions such as changes in temperature, rainfall, pressure etc.

Our product is ROHS, ROHS2, ISO 9001:2000, ISO 14001:1996, APVMA, NEA complaint and FIFRA exempted. Our product will not kill the targeted as well as non-targeted species but only repel the pests which help in maintaining the ecological balance of the earth.

Our product works on the mechanism of repellency. It temporarily inhibits the mating cycle of the insects. The product impairs the ability of the insects to reproduce, that is the insects will not lay eggs or the laid eggs will be infertile. The product causes feeding disruption in an insect by triggering an unpleasant reaction within the insect which might try to feed on the application. The product temporarily blocks the reproduction system of the insects by hindering the release of the vital hormones for growth.

Termirepel™ is available in three basic forms: Masterbatch, liquid concentrate, and lacquer.

Termirepel™ Masterbatch is specially made for polymeric applications and used as additives in their processing time. The polymeric applications like wires and cables, pipes, agricultural films and mulches, greenhouse films, tree guards, irrigation pipes etc can be manufactured using our masterbatch to keep pests from damaging these applications. The crops which are suitable to cover with plastic bags/covers can be applied to our product. The polymeric horticultural equipment can be incorporated into our product for getting best results.

Termirepel™ Liquid concentrate is to be mixed in paints in proper proportion and can be applied to the interior and exterior of the agricultural storage rooms, houses, offices, fences around the farms etc.

Termirepel™ lacquer can be directly applied to the applications such as wooden fences, already installed pipes, wires, cables, etc.

Using our product, you will get protection from the diamondback moth!

Also, visit our websites:
http://www.ctechcorporation.com/
http://www.rodrepel.com/
http://www.termirepel.com/
http://www.combirepel.com/

Follow our Facebook pages at:
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Follow us on our Twitter pages at:
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Fire ants are some of the extremely dangerous and damaging ant species. They not only destroy property and habitats but are equally dangerous to all animals including humans & pets.

The fire ant is the common name for several species of ants in the genus Solenopsis. They are, however, only a minority in the genus, which includes over 200 species of Solenopsis worldwide.

Red fire ants are generally omnivorous, feeding on proteins, honeydew, seeds and most foods found in homes. Fire ants range in color from red-brown to black and grow up to 1/4 inch in length. They build nests or mounds about 1 foot high, usually in grassy areas like lawns and pastures. Unlike most anthills, fire ant nests have no single entrance.

As the temperature rises and conditions become dry, fire ants enter homes in search of food and water. This can cause problems ranging from the nuisance of finding ants in stored foods and potted plants to the real danger of stings-particularly multiple stings when fire ants climb onto sleeping inhabitants.

Fire ants are very aggressive and are voracious feeders on small ground fauna, including insects, spiders, lizards, frogs, birds, and mammals.

Encounters with fire ants usually involve dozens of ants moving quickly and undetected. By the time they sting, there may be tens or hundreds of ants on your body, and they tend to all sting at once. Stings from fire ants can cause a painful, burning and itching sensation, which can last for an hour. Multiple stings give the sensation that the body is on fire.

In the United States, people in fire ant-infested areas have changed their habits to avoid exposure to the ant. Activities such as mowing and gardening could also result in ant stings.

The impact of fire ants is not restricted to people. Pets and domestic animals can also be stung and injured and may have allergic reactions or be blinded by exposure to the venom.

Fire ants could seriously affect the vegetation communities in natural areas. Their habit of eating or damaging seeds could alter the ratios of the various seeds available to develop, which could significantly change an ecosystem over time. Fire ants also predate or disturb the insects and animals that pollinate native plants, which may also cause long-term changes to the vegetation of our bushland areas.

Mounds formed by fire ant nests can be a serious problem in lawns, sporting fields and golf courses, which could have economic impacts. The ants’ activities and nesting materials can cause expensive damage to sensitive electrical equipment. They chew on insulation and can cause short circuits or interfere with switching mechanisms. Air conditioners, traffic signal boxes, and other devices can be damaged.

Fire ants can significantly affect the agriculture industry. Newborn or hatching animals are particularly prone to attacks that can lead to death. The ants can make it impossible for animals to reach food or water without being seriously stung, which can lead to starvation and dehydration.

Fire ants often feed on seeds, and can fatally damage some plants by tunneling through roots and stems.

Mound-building behavior can interrupt or destroy equipment, such as irrigation systems, and can also damage machinery during harvesting operations.

Let us have a look at some news articles:

Killer fire ants INVASION: Warning over global spread as deadly swarms invade

By Stuart Winter, Aug 7, 2017

Both Japan and Australia are today mounting operations to stop red imported fire ants getting a stranglehold in a worldwide invasion that has left 80 people dead.

The fire ants – abbreviated to RIFA and the with the scientific name of Solenopsis invicta – have already left their marks on thousands across North and South America as well as China and Taiwan.

So far, there has been only one sting victim in Japan but this has not stopped the authorities launching a full-scale hunt and eradication operation at ports around the country where the ants may have arrived from China.

It has already exterminated clusters discovered in seven major ports, including Tokyo and Osaka, and is setting traps and carrying out search and elimination missions at another 68 sites.

More than 500 ants were found at Yokohama last month as well larvae and pupae – a worrying sign that the ants are breeding on Japanese soil only two months after they were first discovered in the country.

Fire Ants Almost Kill 13-Year-Old Boy

June 15, 2009, Fox News

Patrick Dodson, 13, and his mother, Donna Dodson, learned that one Sunday afternoon in March while doing yard work at their Central home.

Patrick Dodson fetched a bag of mulch made from a tree blown down by Hurricane Gustav in September. It tore open as he headed to the flower beds, and his leg was covered in hundreds of ants.

Patrick’s mother washed the ants off his leg, applied an antihistamine cream.

But 20 minutes later, Patrick came to her with a flushed face and swollen lips and nose. Donna Dodson took him to an after-hours clinic, where he passed out while she was filling out paperwork.

He came to in the exam room, got a shot and passed out again. The clinic called an ambulance to take him to the emergency room.

“The venom from the ants just shut his body down,” Donna Dodson said. Doctors at Baton Rouge General Medical Center gave him intravenous fluids to flush out the venom. His blood pressure kept dropping. His heart stopped beating twice.

The most common tool used to manage fire ants are insecticides. However, besides being extremely toxic and harmful to the environment, and do not effectively solve the insect problem. Moreover, studies show that the more exposed the fire ants is to the insecticide, the more resistant the fire ant will be. Therefore the insects know that it is hazardous to them with their sensory cue and learns to avoid.

C Tech Corporation has come up with a solution to combat fire ants menace. Termirepel™ is a low-toxic, non-hazardous termite repellent which has been designed for various applications as well as natural materials like wood. It is a unique blend of green chemistry and smart technology which acts as an effective repellent and at the same time guarantees safety to the environment, plants, animals, and ecosystem.

It is durable at extreme climatic conditions such as changes in temperature, rainfall, etc. Our product is ROHS, ROHS2, ISO 9001:2000, ISO 14001:1996, APVMA, NEA complaint and FIFRA exempted.

Termirepel™ does not kill but only keep the ants away by making use of their sensory mechanisms. It temporarily inhibits the mating cycle of the insects. The product impairs the ability of the insects to reproduce, that is the insects will not lay eggs or the laid eggs will be infertile. The product causes feeding disruption in an insect by triggering an unpleasant reaction within the insect which might try to feed on the application. The product temporarily blocks the reproduction system of the insects by hindering the release of the vital hormones for growth.

Follow us on our Twitter pages at:
1] https://twitter.com/rodrepel
2] https://twitter.com/termirepel
3] https://twitter.com/combirepel

Month: November 2017

Super pest – Diamondback Moth!

UK brussels sprout harvest hit by ‘super-pest’ moths

Bad news for farmers, good news for children: Brussels sprouts crop faces Christmas ruin

Termirepel (TM) against pesky little fire ants