Sumilarv is the IGR that continues to deliver proven results.
Some IGRs may come and go, but Sumilarv is here to stay. Now celebrating its 30th anniversary, there are plenty of reasons why Sumilarv is the trusted IGR choice for professional pest managers.
Pyriproxyfen, the active ingredient in Sumilarv, is an insect growth regulator with a unique mode of action – the only chemical in Group 7C. Sumilarv mimics the natural growth hormone in insects that is vital for growth and reproduction. Expose the insect to a mimic of this hormone and it impacts every life stage of the insect, ‘breaking the breeding cycle’.
Its combination of unique mode of action and favourable toxicity profile (unscheduled poison) allows Sumilarv to be utilised in controlling troublesome pests in a wide range of situations. From sensitive accounts where ‘softer’ control options are required to accounts with populations resistant to other common insecticides where high performance is needed.
Sumilarv impacts insects with different life cycles, whether they exhibit complete metamorphosis (fleas) or an incomplete metamorphosis (cockroaches).
Sumilarv impacts on all life stages of the flea – eggs laid by affected females do not hatch, larvae stages die when moulting and final larval stages do not develop into adults inside the pupae. Combining Sumilarv with an insecticide in a tank mix delivers complete control of flea infestations and long-lasting residual action. Pyriproxyfen is a very stable molecule active at very low doses, which provides long-lasting preventative protection against future flea infestation.
In terms of cockroach management, especially in dealing with resistant German cockroach populations, the inclusion of Sumilarv in the treatment program is essential. It can be combined with a range of insecticides in a tank mix or, as it is non-repellent, it can be used in combination with bait products. Sumilarv does not kill the cockroach nymphs as they moult (they will often moult into deformed nymphs with ‘curly wing’), its key action is that it sterilises female cockroaches. Not only does this speed up any eradication efforts, it means it is also a useful residual treatment preventing the development of future cockroach infestations.
As its mode of action works on all insects, Sumilarv Granular was developed to provide an option for the control of mosquitoes, midges and drain flies. This formulation is available in free granule form as well as pre-dosed sachets for container-breeding mosquito control. Its activity at extremely low levels and ability to transfer between insects is highlighted by the auto-dissemination phenomena seen with Sumilarv. Female mosquitoes visiting treated breeding sites pick up Sumilarv, which they then transfer to untreated breeding sites.1 It may seem unlikely they could transfer enough pyriproxyfen to be effective, but it only needs to be at a concentration of 0.012 parts per billion to prevent adult emergence.
Sumilarv was unique to the market 30 years ago, and in a world that demands smarter, low toxicity control methods, it is more relevant than ever. Sumilarv is here to stay.
1 Sichuincha et al. (2005). Potential use of pyriproxyfen for control of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) in Iquitos, Peru. J. Med. Entomol. 42 (4): 620-630.
