Yet a further update...
The ivermectin spray solution does not appear to by phytotoxic as I have sprayed it on my brug and the other plants that were in contact with it including a phylodendron and umbrella plant. Sorry I do not know the latin for those or even if I spelled them right. Anyway, the mites appear to be no more and my brug which had lost many leaves to mite damage and Cygon spraying (before I thought to use ivomectin) is leafing out again.
A very effective solution to my mite problems for $3. If you try this at home remember to spray a few leaves first to test phytotoxicity, and of course insecticides are poisonous so take some basic precautions. This spray is less poisonous that some organic sprays out there and less than most conventional insecticides without the nasty smell, so I think it will become a important part of my IPM (Integrated Pest Management) program.
Joe
Interesting, if it works, and doesn't kill the brugs.
> Avid is also sold in 8 oz containers for $99, if you look up Avid and 8
> ounce. It's used 4 drops to a 32 oz sprayer (average spray window cleaner
> bottle) and will last a very long time. I went ahead and bought it, since
> mites all but destroyed my dozens of roses before they attempted the
> greenhouse coup.
> It was to late for the roses, but it cleared them out of the GH without
> damage to the brug babies, and I'll soon mix up a gallon batch for all the
> outdoor roses. Good luck with the ivermectin experiment, and please let us
> know what comes of it.
>
>
> > Update:
> >
> > Fortunalty the ivermectin is in a solution that facilitates its dispersion
> > in water. Ivermectin by itself is a non polar compound and does not
> > disperse or dissolve in water. Merge cannot be used as a surfactant /
> > solvent mix because it causes the Ivomec injectible fluid to coagulate.
> > Perhaps it contains an incompatible adjuvunct or preservative agent. > >
> > As of yet the spray does not appear to be phytotoxic. I have sprayed a > few
> > leaves with no measured ill effect on the plant yet. In a few more days, > I
> > will try to spray the whole plant to test the effectiveness of the > chemical
> > against the spider mites.
> >
> > -Joe
> >
> > > Having found no newsgroups for ornamental plants, agriculture chemicals, > > or
> > > house plants, I hope someone here can provide some advice. I have a few
> > > houseplants (Brugmansia hybrids) under attack from spider mites. The > best
> > > treatment I have found for spider mites is a miticide called Avid. > > However,
> > > Avid is only sold in large quantities for large amounts of money ($300 > US
> > > per container). But I note from reading the Lable and MSDS online
> > > (something more people should do) that the active ingredient in Avid is
> > > abamectin. When searching for abamectin on the internet, I find that it > > is
> > > chemically very similar to ivermectin, differing only by a double bond > vs
> > > single bond in one location. For a chemical diagram see
> > >
formatting link
and
> > >
formatting link
Now ivermectin is
> > > readily available in smaller quantities from the local veterinarian > where > > it
> > > is used to control internal and external parasites in livestock. I use > it
> > > for pets too, a practice that is very effective against flea outbreaks, > > but
> > > off lable. So I plan on aquiring 1.5 ml of Ivomec injectible from my > > vet,
> > > adding an emusifier (likely a ml or 2 of the premium ag chemical > > surfactant
> > > blend Merge by BASF) and bringing the volume up to 1 litre with RO > water.
> > > This mixture will have an active ingredient level between the lable > rates
> > > given for Avid. I can then pour into hand sprayer and apply in > accordance
> > > with the Avid lable.
> > >
> > > Any comments in regards to my idea would be greatly appreciated. > > > > > > -Joe
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
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