BASF announces the launch of its new general pest insecticide, Seclira WSG.
There’s an obvious advantage to using non-repellent insecticides, but until now the only ones available to pest managers have each been restricted to specific target pests or applications.
Seclira WSG, the new BASF insecticide to be launched at the start of November, changes all that. Seclira is the first non-staining, odourless broad-spectrum insecticide for both indoor and outdoor professional use. Seclira can be used alongside other non-repellent insecticides, including Goliath Cockroach Gel and Goliath Liquid Ant Bait. It can also be used in conjunction with Termidor Residual for external treatments.
Even better, Seclira is pretty well undetectable by humans too: it is non-staining and colourless, with no odour. It’s practically a magic trick the way Seclira dissolves in water so completely that the mixture quickly resolves into clear liquid again and will only leave marks on surfaces where pure water would do the same. The product does not fall out of suspension either, with trials showing that the Seclira solution is still totally clear and 100% in suspension ready for ‘invisible’ application up to 12 hours after mixing.
That’s obviously a massive advantage for use in many areas where appearance is important, and Seclira has important additional benefits that build on that one.
“Because insects can’t detect Seclira, it has no flushing effect,” said Dr David Elmouttie. Dr Elmouttie is the technical development specialist at BASF and has fully explored the new product’s potential. “So there’s no contamination risk. The dying pests won’t come rushing out of their harbourages after treatment and have to be cleaned up before normal service can resume in an office or factory or commercial kitchen. That means treatments can be scheduled inside normal operating hours, which is much more convenient for everyone.”
The undetectability of Seclira is also a key to its highly effective control. Seclira introduces a new active ingredient for general pest control, but the way it eradicates whole populations of social insects will be familiar to many technicians. It is the same way the equally undetectable Termidor controls termites: the ‘Genuine transfer effect’. Ants and cockroaches and other social insects that come into contact with Seclira will remain unaffected and unaware long enough to pass a lethal dose of Seclira on to other insects in the colony and start a chain reaction.
Seclira also has long-lasting residual activity. Used in conjunction with gel baits or an outdoor application of Termidor, it can provide a more complete pest control package that will keep premises well protected for extended periods, leading to reduced callbacks and increased customer satisfaction.
Seclira will be registered to control a wide range of common pests, including ants, cockroaches, mosquitos, wasps, bed bugs, spiders and crawling insects such as millipedes and pillbugs. Together, those pests account for most callouts, so Seclira has the potential to be used on most jobs.
“Pest managers will be able to use it all day, every day and in every situation,” said Dr Elmouttie. “After years of mainly relying on synthetic pyrethroids, here’s a new product that could easily become the preferred choice in most circumstances.”
The launch of any new insecticide is bound to be big news, but many new products are just minor variations on what’s already available. Seclira, with its novel active ingredient, is a much bigger step forward. This is a product that will have a great fit in all pest control operations by providing exceptional control of most common insect pests with a new level of convenience for technicians and their clients.
Dr Melissa Palviainen, Marketing Manager, Professional & Specialty Solutions, BASF
