Abamectin: Stopping Insects In Their Tracks
3 May 2010 Abamectin is commercially used for control of Colorado potato beetles (Leptinotarsa decemlineata), leafminers, mites and pinworms, as well as for home use on fire ants.
Derived from a naturally-occuring fungus, abamectin is manufactured by the fermentation process, producing eight different biologically active avermectin compounds. These act as a toxin with a mode of action that makes the development of resistance unlikely. As a GABA blocker, it paralyzes the insects, which then die within a few days of exposure to the product.
In March 2010, The European Chemicals Agency’s Risk Assessment Committee adopted a proposal regarding Abamectin/Avermectin B1a for harmonized classification and labeling across Europe. The Committee agreed that this insecticide/acaricide should have a harmonized classification for hazards such as toxic for reproduction and danger to the environment.
However, abamectin has a tendency to bind to soil particles; plants do not absorb it from soil, it is considered unlikely to leach into groundwater. It also degrades quickly in both soil and water.
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