Use of Erythritol Compositions As Mammal-Safe Insecticides

Abstract

The disclosure provides a human-safe method of killing or controlling insects using a non-toxic composition comprising erythritol ((2R,3S)-butane-1,2,3,4-tetraol). The disclosure also provides non-toxic compositions comprising erythritol suitable for killing insects in residential, commercial, and agricultural locales.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composition comprising:
 1-50% w/w erythritol;   1-50% w/w feeding stimulant; and   at least one additional component selected from the group consisting of water, an odorant, a nitrogen source, a sodium salt, a thickener, an attractant, a defoamer, a dispersing agent, a feeding stimulant, a flavoring agent, a surfactant, a preservative, a gel-forming component, a suspending agent, and an oil.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the feeding stimulant is a sugar. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises water, and 1-99% w/w each of a surfactant, at least one thickener, and at least one preservative. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one thickener is selected from the group consisting of monosodium alkylamine dicarboxylate, sodium gluconate, trisodium citrate, and sodium chloride, wherein the alkylamine dicarboxylate comprises a C 1-24  alkyl amine. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is a solid composition, liquid compositions, or a gel composition. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein the surfactant is coconut diethanolamide. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein the composition comprises:
 1-50% w/w erythritol;   1-50% w/w sucrose;   1-50% w/w coconut diethanolamide;   1-50% w/w each of at least one of alkyl amine dicaborboxylate, sodium gluconate, trisodium citrate, or sodium chloride;   1-50% w/w sodium benzoate; and   water.   
     
     
         8 . An insect bait, comprising:
 the composition of  claim 1 , and   a substrate that comprises the composition.   
     
     
         9 . The bait of  claim 8 , wherein the substrate comprises cellulose. 
     
     
         10 . The bait of  claim 8 , wherein the attractant comprises a sugar and a sodium salt. 
     
     
         11 . The bait of  claim 9 , wherein the cellulose is paper. 
     
     
         12 . The bait of  claim 9 , wherein the composition is absorbed in the cellulose. 
     
     
         13 . The bait of  claim 8 , wherein the bait is an insect bait station. 
     
     
         14 . The bait of  claim 8 , wherein the composition is a solid composition, liquid compositions, or a gel composition. 
     
     
         15 . A method for killing an insect or impairing an insect's ability to function, the method comprising:
 contacting the insect with the composition of  claim 1 ,   wherein the composition is not substantially toxic when administered to a mammal; and   wherein the insect is a termite selected from the group consisting of  Reticulitermes flavipes, Reticulitermes virginicus, Reticulitermes hageni, Coptotermes formosanus, Amitermes floridensis, Incitermes minor, Neothermes connexus, R. hesperus, R tibialis, Heterotermes aureus, Reticulitermes  sp.,  Heterotermes  sp., and  Termitidae  sp.   
     
     
         16 . A method for killing an insect or impairing an insect's ability to function, the method comprising:
 contacting the insect with the composition of  claim 1 ,   wherein the composition is not substantially toxic when administered to a mammal; and   wherein the insect is a leaf cutter ant selected from the genera Alta and  Acromyrmex.      
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the leaf cutter ant is a species selected from the group consisting of  Acromyrmex ambiguus, Acromyrmex ameliae, Acromyrmex aspersus, Acromyrmex balzani, Acromyrmex biscutatus, Acromyrmex coronatus, Acromyrmex crassispinus, Acromyrmex diasi, Acromyrmex disciger, Acromyrmex echinatior, Acromyrmex evenkul, Acromyrmex fowleri, Acromyrmex fracticornis, Acromyrmex heyeri, Acromyrmex hispidus, Acromyrmex hystrix, Acromyrmex insinuator, Acromyrmex landolti, Acromyrmex laticeps, Acromyrmex lobicornis, Acromyrmex lundii, Acromyrmex niger, Acromyrmex nigrosetosus, Acromyrmex nobilis, Acromyrmex octospinosus, Acromyrmex pubescens, Acromyrmex pulvereus, Acromyrmex rugosus, Acromyrmex silvestrii, Acromyrmex striatus, Acromyrmex subterraneus, Acromyrmex versicolor, Acromyrmex volcanus, Atta bisphaerica, Atta capiguara, Atta cephalotes, Atta colombica, Atta cubana, Atta goiana, Atta insularis, Atta laevigata, Atta mexicana, Atta opaciceps, Atta pilosa, Atta robusta, Atta saltensis, Atta sexdens, Atta tardigrada, Atta texana, Atta vollenweideri.    
     
     
         18 . A method for killing an insect or impairing an insect's ability to function, the method comprising:
 contacting the insect with the composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is not substantially toxic when administered to a mammal; and wherein the insect is:
 i) a fly selected from the group consisting  D. melanogaster, D. immigrans, D. simulans, D. subobscura, Zaprionus indianus, D. bifurca, D. sechellia, D. yakuba, D. erecta, D. ananassae, D. suzukii, D. pseudoobscura, D. persimilis, D. willistoni, D. mojavensis, D. virilis or D. grimshawi, Musca domestica, Stomoxys calcitrans , and  Bactrocera dorsalis;    
 ii) an ant selected from the group consisting of  Tetramorium  sp,  Formica  sp,  Camponotus, Solenopsis invicta, T. immigrans, Formica glacialis, Camponotus, chromaiodes , and  Camponotus subarbatus  sp.; or 
 iii) a mosquito is one selected from  Ae. aegypti, Cx. pipiens, Cx. tarsalis, Cx. quinquefasciatus, An. freeborni  and  An. quadrimaculatus.    
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the mammal is a human. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the odorant is at least one selected from the group consisting of C 6  to C 10  alkenes, pyranones, furanones, benzopyranones, benzofuranones, hemiterpenes, monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, diterpenes, triterpenes and retinoids. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the sodium salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride and sodium sulphate. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the attractant is at least one selected from pheromones, pheromone mimics, 2-naphthalene-methanol, naphthalene, steroid derivatives, camphor, turpentine oil, plant volatiles, flower oils, and CO 2 . 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the dispersing agent is at least one selected from an effervescent material and a swellable substance. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the dispersing agent is at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvinylpyrrolidone and a mixture of citric acid and sodium bicarbonate. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the feeding stimulant is at least one selected from the group consisting of ergosterol, fermented milk, p-hydroquinone, hydroxyphenyl-β-D-glycopyranoside, catechol, resorcinol, fluoroglucinol, 4-methoxyphenol, 1,4-dimethoxybenzene, 4-phenoxyphenol, phenylhydroquinone, 4-benzyloxyphenol, quinhydrone. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the surfactant is at least one anionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of fatty acids, alkyl aryl sulphonates, long chain (fatty) alcohol sulphates, olefin sulphates and sulphonates, sulphated monoglycerides, sulphated esters, sulphonated ethoxylated alcohols, sulphosuccinates, alkane sulphonates, phosphate esters, alkyl isethionates, alkyl taurates, and alkyl sarcosinates. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the surfactant is at least one cationic surfactant selected from the group consisting of alkylamine salts, quaternary ammonium salts, sulphonium salts, and phosphonium salts. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the surfactant is
 (a) at least one nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of silicones, condensates of ethylene oxide with a long chain (fatty) alcohol or (fatty) acid, condensates of ethylene oxide with an amine or an amide, condensation products of ethylene and propylene oxides, esters of glycerol, sucrose or sorbitol, fatty acid alkylol amides, sucrose esters, fluoro-surfactants and fatty amine oxides, or   (b) at least one amphoteric surfactant selected from the group consisting of imidazoline compounds, alkylaminoacid salts, and betaines.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the oil is at least one selected from the group consisting of palm oil, cedarwood oil, opopanax oil,  angelica  seed oil, and  capsicum  fruit extracts. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the humectant is at least one selected from the group consisting of glucose, ammonium sulfate, urea fructose, glycerol, and glycol derivatives.