Termiticide composition and methods for treating termites

Abstract

A termiticide concentrate comprising a termiticide composition comprising a phenylpyrazole, such as fipronil and a neonicotinoid, such as imidacloprid, wherein the composition is dispersed in an aqueous medium to form the termiticide concentrate. The concentrate containing the combination of active termiticides provides an increased efficacy not exhibited by either active when used alone.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A termiticide composition comprising active termiticides comprising from about 1% to about 69% by weight of a phenylpyrazole; and, from about 1% to about 69% by weight of a neonicotinoid, wherein the composition comprises up to 70% by weight of total active termiticide. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises from about P/o to about 20% by weight of a phenylpyrazole; and, from about 10% to about 40% by weight of a neonicotinoid. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises from about 3% to about 10% by weight of a phenylpyrazole and from about 15% to about 30% by weight of a neonicotinoid. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the phenylpyrazole is selected from the group consisting of acetoprole, ethiprole, fipronil, pyraclofos, pyrafluprole, pyriprole, vaniliprole, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein the phenylpyrazole is fipronil. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 5 , wherein the composition comprises about 6.6% by weight fipronil. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the neonicotinoid is selected from the group consisting of imidacloprid, acetamiprid, nithiazine, thiamethoxam, dinotefuran, nitenpyram, thiacloprid, clothianadin, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 7 , wherein the neonicotinoid is imidacloprid. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 8 , wherein the composition comprises about 21.4% by weight imidacloprid. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is dispersed in an aqueous medium to form a termiticide concentrate comprising from about 0.01% to about 2% by weight of the active termiticides. 
     
     
         11 . The termiticide concentrate of  claim 10 , comprising from about 0.05% to about 0.5%) by weight of the active termiticides. 
     
     
         12 . The termiticide concentrate of  claim 11 , wherein the termiticide concentrate is formulated as an emulsifiable concentrate, a solution, a spray, a foam, or an emulsion. 
     
     
         13 .- 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method for controlling termites, which method comprises applying to a locus requiring termite control, a termiticide concentrate comprising (1) a termiticide composition comprising active termiticides comprising from about 1% to about 69% by weight of a phenylpyrazole selected from the group consisting of acetoprole, ethiprole, fipronil, pyraclofos, pyrafluprole, pyriprole, vaniliprole, and combinations thereof; and, from about 1% to about 69% by weight of a neonicotinoid selected from the group consisting of imidacloprid, acetamiprid, nithiazine, thiamethoxam, dinotefuran, nitenpyram, thiacloprid, clothianadin, and combinations thereof, wherein the composition comprises up to 70% by weight of total active termiticide; and (2) an aqueous medium; wherein the termiticide composition is dispersed in the aqueous medium to form the termiticide concentrate comprising from about 0.01% to about 2% by weight of the active termiticides. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the termiticide concentrate is applied in an amount of about 1 to 10 gallons per 10 linear feet per foot of depth of area treated. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the termites are selected from the species  Reticulitermes, Zootermopsis, Heterotermes , and  Coptotermes.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the phenylpyrazole is fipronil. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the neonicotinoid is imidacloprid. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein application of the termiticide concentrate comprises spraying the locus requiring termite control with the concentrate. 
     
     
         28 .- 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . A method for protecting a building from termite infestation and/or treating a building having an infestation of termites to substantially eliminate the infestation, which method comprises:
 a. identifying a location around the building to be treated;   b. removing soil from the area to be treated to form a trench;   c. treating the removed soil prior to refilling the trench by applying a termiticide concentrate; and   d. refilling the trench with the treated soil; or   e. identifying a location around the building to be treated;   f. drilling holes in blocks, walls, slabs, or other portions of the infested building;   g. injecting an effective amount of a termiticide concentrate through the holes to exterminate any termites present in the location; and   h. plugging the holes into which the termiticide concentrate has been injected;
 wherein the termicide concentrate comprises a termiticide composition comprising active termiticides comprising from about 1% to about 69% by weight of a phenylpyrazole selected from the group consisting of acetoprole, ethiprole, fipronile, pyralofos, pyrafluproic, vanilliprole, and combinations thereof, and, from about 1% to about 69% by weight of a neoconicotinoid selected from the group consisting of imidacloprid, acetamiprid, nithiazine, thiamethoxam, dinotefuran, nitenpyram, thiacloprid, clothianadin, and combinations thereof, wherein the composition comprises up to 70% by weight of total active termiticide; and (2) an aqueous medium, wherein the termiticide composition is dispersed in the aqueous medium to form the termiticide concentrate comprising from about 0.01% to about 2% by weight of the active termiticide. 
   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the termiticide concentrate is applied in an amount of about 1 to 10 gallons per 10 linear feet per foot of depth of area treated. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the termites are selected from the species  Reticulitermes, Zootermopsis, Heterotermes , and  Coptotermes.    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the phenylpyrazole is fipronil. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the neonicotinoid is imidacloprid. 
     
     
         41 .- 56 . (canceled)