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Spider Mite Control for Premise and Structural Use

Spider Mite Control is a FIFRA 25(b) geraniol concentrate sold today with a crop and plant label. Premise and structural uses, such as animal housing, perimeters and buildings, require a label amendment and state acceptance, and are in development until then.

Formulation

Spider Mite Control contains geraniol 30%, peppermint oil 1%, cottonseed oil 0.10% and rosemary oil 0.01% in a canola oil base, all of which are minimum-risk ingredients. The concentrate is nano-emulsified so it disperses in water and wets waxy leaf and insect surfaces. At the current crop dilution of 1:500 it delivers about 0.57 mg/mL geraniol. That rate is set for spider mites on plants and is not a premise rate.

Why premise use is being developed

Geraniol is already the active in minimum-risk products labeled for crawling insects, and our field experience indicates activity against ants and cockroaches at higher concentrations. Housing mites, ticks and crawling insects are all premise targets. Each requires its own rate, and published data for ticks point to roughly 10 to 20 times the spider mite rate. The premise program therefore runs through trials, a label amendment with the new sites and rates, and acceptance in each state before any premise sale.

What you can do today

Use Spider Mite Control only as the current crop label directs. Applying it to animal housing, buildings or yards for other pests before the label covers those sites would be a use inconsistent with the label. For housing mites and lice now, Vetpure Miticide is the labeled premise option. Pest management firms and distributors interested in the premise program can join the trial list. Trial participants receive protocols and data sharing terms in writing before any application.

Species cautions

Geraniol and peppermint oil are toxic to cats. Any premise label will restrict use to structures, bedding and perimeters, with no application to animals, and will require treated areas to dry before animals return. Bees and aquatic organisms are also considered: labels will carry drift and drainage precautions, and applications near hives or ponds will follow the pollinator and aquatic guidance in our Knowledge section. These cautions apply regardless of the label status of the premise use.

Key facts

Spider Mite Control at 1:500 delivers about 0.57 mg/mL geraniol (Vegalab formulation data)
Geraniol larval LC95 against Rhipicephalus microplus is about 1.1% (about 11 mg/mL) in laboratory larval packet tests (Singh et al. 2018, Ticks Tick Borne Dis 9:201)
Geraniol, peppermint oil, rosemary oil and cottonseed oil are listed minimum-risk actives; canola oil qualifies as an edible fat and oil inert (40 CFR 152.25(f)(1) and (f)(2)(iii))
Using a pesticide in a manner inconsistent with its labeling is unlawful (FIFRA section 12(a)(2)(G))

How our delivery technology applies

Geraniol is volatile, and unencapsulated essential oils typically lose activity against ticks and crawling insects within a few days. The premise program tests whether the nano-emulsion extends residual on porous and nonporous surfaces enough to cover a hatch or questing cycle. The planned trials compare encapsulated and neat geraniol residual at days 1, 7, 14 and 28.

Join the premise trial list for Spider Mite Control.