Recent news about a New York state label change for Lambdastar and it’s licensed application for bed bug treatment might seem good news for PMPs/PCOs looking for new weapons in their fight against bed bugs. Unfortunately, it is apparently clear that someone missed their physiology of bed bugs class where they would have learned that bed bugs DONT have sticky pads on their appendages, making many residual pesticides that dont come into direct contact (ie: spraying) ineffective. Probably why the last paragraph in the story below uses the term “significantly” to describe the mortality rate of this product. BTW: Vikane fumigant is 100% effective against all life stages of bed bugs in a single controlled treatment.
Original Posting: PMP Buzz Online eNewsletter
25 Jul, 2011
ALPHARETTA, GA. — Pest management professionals (PMPs) from Minnesota down to Texas and across to the whole East Coast are preparing for the fall swarms of the brown marmorated stink bug. This pest has become so prolific that USA Today has published two feature stories about the spread of this new pest to the United States. August is the time when residual applications of Lambdastar 9.7% CS from LG Life Sciences should begin and continuing all the way up through October/November as these horribly stinky pests swarm in the tens of thousands all over the sunny side of structures.
Now even PMPs in New York state can have the peace of mind in using Lambdastar 9.7% CS that these pests are specifically stated on the label.
“LG Life Sciences has been tracking the introduction and rapid spread of the brown marmorated stink bug and kudzu bug into the US from China,” says Patrick Callahan, national sales and marketing manager, LG Life Sciences. “The brown marmorated stink bug was accidentally introduced in Pennsylvania, and the kudzu bug right here in Georgia. UGA and Clemson have been watching this pest’s expansion very closely. Our experience shows that similar Lambdastar formulations that we sell
for crop protection are good control agents versus stink bug species. Both pest species spend most of the year out in the flowering trees, shrubs, ornamental plants, food plants or kudzu. In the spring, when they emerge from overwintering, and in the fall, when they are seeking harborage, they can cover the sunny side of structures. We felt it important to get these new invasive pests listed on our label as soon as possible.”
In fact, Callahan says, LG Life Sciences may be the only company with both pests on the label.
“It is possible that stink bug ‘swarms’ may be the new termite swarm, which will mean revitalized revenue for PMPs. LG is ready to help,” he says.
Lambdastar 9.7% CS, at this point, is the only pesticide label that specifically lists both brown marmorated stink bug and kudzu bug on the label. There are other structural products that list stink bugs ( which encompasses all the species of stink bugs), such as LG’s new product – Fenvastar EcoCap ( registered in all states, pending in New York).
Separately, LG Life Sciences has conducted laboratory trials on carpet tiles to show that Lambdastar 9.7% CS is also a very effective insecticide for control of bed bugs. LG conducted direct spray knockdown trials that resulted in very rapid kill of bed bugs. On carpet tiles, the tests showed that dried residues on this surface would provide significant mortality of field collected bed bugs, even after two to three months.