METHODS OF ATTRACTING AND COMBATTING INSECTS

Abstract: A method for attracting and controlling insects which comprises offering to said insects for ingestion an effective amount of a compound.

Description: METHODS OF ATTRACTING AND COMBATTING INSECTS The invention relates to methods of attracting and combatting insects at a locus at which a crop is growing, especially a plantation crop, or at a locus where the presence of insects is undesirable for public health reasons. Many insecticidally active compounds are known, such as the insecticidal pyrazoles described in International Patent Publications No. WO 87/03781, WO 93/06089 and WO 94/21606, as well as in European Patent Publications 0295117, 0403300, 0385809, and 0679650, German Patent Publication 19511269 and United States Patents 5,232,940 and 5,236,938. A particular problem connected with the control of nuisance insects, especially the insects which are found to inhabit private or public housing or buildings, is that it is difficult to reach and treat all of the insects and it is most desirable to have a method to eliminate the population of insects, especially those insects which are not accessible to the treatment or have remained untreated for any reason. An additional obstacle in eliminating or reducing a population of nuisance insects is that said insects are often able to detect the presence of insecticidally active ingredients, said ingredients thus acting as a repellent or anti-feeding agent for the insects. Up until now, a common method for controlling a large population of insects, especially those inaccessible to direct treatment, is to utilise a program of multiple treatments or multiple placement of baits containing insecticidally active ingredients, or to associate attractants with insecticidally active ingredients. An object of the instant invention is to provide a simplified and efficient method of controlling or combatting insects. Another object of the instant invention is to provide a simplified and efficient method of controlling or combatting insects whereby an attractive ingredient, that is, an attractant, is presented to the insects. An especially advantageous object of the instant invention is to provide a simplified and efficient method of controlling or combatting insects whereby an attractant is presented to the insects, said attractant being simultaneously insecticidally active. The present invention thus provides a new use, as an attractant for insects, of a compound having the formula: (I) wherein: R\ is CN or methyl; R2 is S(O) n R 3 ; R3 is alkyl or haloalkyl; R4 is selected from the group comprising a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, and a radical which may be -NR5R , -S(O) m R7, alkyl, haloalkyl, -ORg, or -N=C(R 9 )(R 10 ); R5 and R are independently selected from a hydrogen atom, alkyl, haloalkyl, - C(O)alkyl, -S(O) r CF3 * or R5 and R6 form together a divalent radical which may be interrupted by one or more heteroatoms; R7 is selected from alkyl or haloalkyl; Rg is selected from alkyl, haloalkyl or the hydrogen atom; R9 is selected from the hydrogen atom and alkyl; RlO selected from phenyl or heteroaryl that is optionally substituted by one or more hydroxy, a halogen atom, -O-alkyl, -S-alkyl, cyano, or alkyl or combinations thereof; Rl 1 and R γι are independently selected from a halogen atom or the hydrogen atom; R j 3 is selected from a halogen atom, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, -S(O)qCF3, -SF5; m,n,q,r are independently selected from 0,1 , and 2; X is selected from the element Nitrogen and the radical C-Ri 2; provided that when R ** is methyl, R3 is haloalkyl, R4 is NH2, Ri l is Cl, R13 is CF3, and X is N. A preferred group of Formula I compounds are those wherein: R\ is CN;and or R3 is haloalkyl ;and or R4 is NH2;and or R\ 1 and Rj2 are independently from halogen;and or Rj3 is haloalkyl. Especially preferred for use in accord with the present invention is the insecticide 5-amino-3-cyano- 1 -(2,6-dichloro-4-trifluoromethyl)phenyl-4- trifluoromethylsulfϊnylpyrazole. This compound is designated hereafter as compound (A). In the above description alkyl may be a branched or linear chain from 1 to 6 carbons. Halogen may be fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine, preferably fluorine or chlorine. The preparation of compounds of formula (I) for use herein can proceed according to any process described in the hereinabove-cited patent documents, or other process within the knowledge of one skilled in the art of chemical synthesis. In one aspect, the present invention thus provides a method for attracting insects, said method comprising offering to said insects for ingestion an effective attractant amount of a compound of formula (I) as defined above. In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for attracting and killing insects comprising offering to said insects for ingestion a compound of formula (I) as defined above in an amount which is effective both as an attractant and as an insecticide. According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for controlling a population of insects, especially insects able to walk or travel in public or private housing or building or household or home, that is, insects which are able to enter or inhabit buildings, whereby an attractant and insecticidally effective amount of a compound of formula (I) as defined above is offered or presented to the insects to be controlled as food among alternative food or foods, which can be closely situated. The method of the invention is especially advantageous because it provides more possibilities and much more freedom for placement of the insecticidally active ingredient. Because of its attractant properties, the insecticidally active ingredient can be located in any place, not only at the specifically appropriate place where the insects are to travel and feed. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling a population of insects at a locus which is in or near a food storage, preparation, serving or eating area, said method comprising offering to said insects as an alternative food source an amount of a compound of formula (I) as defined above which is effective both as an attractant and as an insecticide. Thus, an effective attractant and insecticidal amount of a compound of formula (I) is preferably offered to the insects in or near an area in which other food is present as a practical consequence of the normal use of the building or housing. The active ingredient of formula (I) is preferably used in accord with the present invention in the form of a bait, which can be a solid, liquid or gel bait. The manner of preparation of a bait will be apparent to one skilled in the art. Baits have already been described in the patent documents cited hereinabove. It is not necessary to add an attractant to the active ingredient of formula (I) and the carrier or diluent to form the bait, since the compound of formula (I) acts herein as an attractant as well as an insecticide. The method of the invention is particularly appropriate as a method for the control of populations of insects like cockroaches, ants or the like especially those belonging to the families Blatidae or Formacidae.. Treatment of cockroaches in an area in which their presence can be detrimental to public health, that is to say in housing or buildings, is a preferred feature of the instant invention, especially for the control of so-called American cockroaches (Periplaneta americana), but also of other cockroaches such as German cockroaches (Blatella germanica). The attractant compositions or baits which can be used in the practice of the present invention can be offered or presented to the insects in various amounts. Usually, however, it is advantageous to offer these attractant compositions or baits comprising the compound of formula (I) in an appropriate form and in an amount of from about 0.00001 g to about 20 g of active ingredient of formula (I) per 100 2 square meters, preferably of from about 0.001 g to about 1 g per 100 m . The attractant compositions which are useful in the present invention generally comprise from about 0.0001 to about 15 % w/w of active ingredient of formula (I), preferably from about 0.01 to about 6 % w/w. These compositions can be in the form of a solid, e.g. dusts or granules or wettable powders, or in the form of a liquid, such as an emulsifiable concentrate or a true solution. The attractant compositions can also contain any compatible surface-active agent and or carrier, preferably selected from ingredients which can be eaten by insects. The carrier itself can be solid or liquid. The compounds of formula (I) can be used in sequence or admixture, particularly in admixtures with another pesticide, for example, an insecticide, acaricide or fungicide. The attractant compositions can be prepared by simply admixing the ingredients. The invention is illustrated by the following examples which should not be considered as limiting or restricting the invention. EXAMPLES On a large circle situated on a 1 square meter confinement, various foodstuffs and two baits of compound (A) were distributed around the perimeter of a circle of 75 cm diameter. Similar pieces of baits were placed at diametrically opposed points on the circle. Adults cockroaches (25 males and 25 females) were released and offered harborage 24 hours prior to the start of the experiment. All testing was conducted at night under infrared illumination. Three replicates were conducted for each species. Observations began one hour after lighting in the laboratory went off. The number of foraging cockroaches at each location was recorded at 10 minute intervals for a period of 120 minutes. Example 1 Only compound (A) was used as an insecticide. The alternative foods were: 2 pieces of rodent chow, 2 pieces of rodent jelly and 2 vials of water. The numbers of foraging German cockroaches for up to 3 hours of foraging time were measured and cumulatively added. 62 cockroaches went to compound (A), 43 to chow, 25 to jelly and 22 to water. Example 2 Only compound (A) was used as an insecticide. The alternative foods were: 2 pieces of rodent chow, 2 vials of oil and 2 vials of water. The numbers of foraging German cockroaches for up to 3 hours of foraging time were measured and cumulatively added. 68 cockroaches went to compound (A), 25 to chow, 23 to oil and 14 to water. Example 3 One insecticidal bait comprised compound (A) and one comprised hydramethylnon. The alternative foods were : 2 pieces of rodent chow, 2 pieces of rodent jelly, 2 vials of water and 1 piece of hydramethylnon. The numbers of foraging American cockroaches for up to 3 hours of foraging time were measured and cumulatively added. 35 cockroaches went to compound (A) (substantially less to the other insecticide), 17 to chow, 15 to jelly and 18 to water. While the invention has been described in terms of various preferred embodiments, the skilled artisan will appreciate that various modifications, substitutions, omissions and changes can be made without departing from the spirit thereof. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of the present invention be limited solely by the scope of the following claims, including equivalents thereof.

Claims: Claims What we claim is: 1. A method for attracting and controlling insects which comprises offering to said insects for ingestion of an effective amount of a compound having the formula: (I) wherein: R\ is CN or methyl; R 2 is -S(O) n R 3 ; R3 is alkyl or haloalkyl; R4 is selected from the group comprising a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, and a radical which may be -NR5R5, -S(O) m R7, alkyl, haloalkyl, -ORg, or -N=C(R 9 )(R 10 ); R5 and Rg are independently selected from a hydrogen atom, alkyl, haloalkyl, - C(O)alkyl, -S(O) r CF3; or R5 and R$ form together a divalent radical which may be interrupted by one or more heteroatoms; R7 is selected from alkyl or haloalkyl; Rg is selected from alkyl, haloalkyl or the hydrogen atom; R9 is selected from the hydrogen atom and alkyl; RlO selected from phenyl or heteroaryl that is optionally substituted by one or more hydroxy, a halogen atom, -O-alkyl, -S-alkyl, cyano, or alkyl or combinations thereof; R i j and R j 2 are independently selected from a halogen atom or the hydrogen atom; Rj3 is selected from a halogen atom, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, -S(O)qCF3, -SF5; m,n,q,r are independently selected from 0,1, and 2; X is selected from the element Nitrogen and the radical C-R12; provided that when R\ is methyl, R3 is haloalkyl, R4 is NH2, R} 1 is Cl, R13 is CF3, and X is N. 2. A method according to Claim 1 wherein R\ is CN;and/or R3 is haloalkyl ;and or R4 is NH2;and/or Rj j and R γ are independently from halogen;and/or R\ 3 is haloalkyl. 3. A method according to any of the foregoing claims wherein the compound of formula (I) is 5-amino-3-cyano-l-(2,6-dichloro-4-trifluoromethyl)phenyl-4- trifluoromethylsulfinylpyrazole. 4. A method according to any of the foregoing claims wherein a population of insects is in a public or private housing area, public or private building, or public or private home. 5. A method according to any of the foregoing claims wherein a population of insects are able to enter or inhabit a public or private housing area, a public or private building, or a public or private home . 6. A method according to any of the foregoing claims wherein an attractant is offered or presented to the insects to be controlled as food among alternative food or foods, which can be closely situated. 7. A method according to any of the foregoing claims wherein a population of insects is at a locus which is in or near a food storage, preparation, serving or eating area. 8. A method according to any of the foregoing claims wherein an attractant is used in the form of a bait, which can be a solid, liquid or gel bait. 9. A method according to any of the foregoing claims wherein the insects to be controlled belong to the families Blatidae or Formacidae. 10. A method according to any of the foregoing claims wherein the insects to be controlled are American cockroaches (Periplanipa americana) or German cockroaches (Blatella germanica). 11. A method according to any of the foregoing claims wherein the amount of attractant is from about 0.00001 g to about 20 g of active ingredient of formula (I) per 100 square meters. 12. A method according to any of the foregoing claims wherein the amount of 2 attractant is from about 0.001 g to about 1 g per 100 m . 13. A method according to any of the foregoing claims wherein the attractant comprises from about 0.0001 to about 15 % w/w of active ingredient of formula (I), preferably from about 0.01 to about 6 % w/w. 14. A method according to any of the foregoing claims wherein the composition of the attractant is in the form of a solid or of a liquid. 15. A method according to any of the foregoing claims wherein the attractant is mixed or admixed with a surface-active agent or carrier. 16. A method according to any of the foregoing claims wherein the attractant is mixed or admixed with a with another pesticide.

Inventors: DAVIDSON THOMAS CHARLES, WERNER GEORGINA M, DAVIDSON, THOMAS, CHARLES, WERNER, GEORGINA, M.
Applicants: DAVIDSON THOMAS CHARLES, RHONE POULENC AGROCHIMIE, WERNER GEORGINA M, DAVIDSON, THOMAS, CHARLES, RHONE-POULENC AGROCHIMIE, WERNER, GEORGINA, M.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: A01N47
IPC codes: A01N43, A01N47