Now that the series on the insecticide diazinon has wound down, some
further comments may prove helpful.
 
   Diazinon is quite toxic but legal for use against ants in the U.S. and
against yellow jacket wasps in some states.  However, the following comment
was very appropriate:
 
> I vote for the nematodes. Diazanon smells like someone puked
>all over the place. I used it for ants in my foundation about 5 years ago
>and after 5 minutes of spraying I has to get out the garden hose to try
>to dilute the stench! Have your husband smell it at the garden store
>before deciding...
 
   If one mixes diazinon with some sort of bait, bees, wasps, and ants will
not feed on that bait --- you can be sure of that, and one need not worry
about bees becoming poisoned.
 
   However, if one wants to use that insecticide successfully in a bait,
the problem of its abnoxious odor can be circumvented by buying diazinon in
a micro-encapsulated form --- in the U.S. one such compound is known as
KNOX-OUT.  It has the texture of thick cream.
 
   Even bait laced with diazinon does not work too well unless one builds
the ants, wasps, or bees into a feeding frenzy first with unlaced bait.
 
   In short, the stuff is toxic, has a very bad odor, and will not be fed
upon by bees if used on plants, etc.  On the other hand, a small amount
slipped into an ant colony in or near the beeyard can save a lot of grief.
Don't ask me, though, about the recipe for such application --- I am
against putting large amounts of pesticides into the environment.
 
                                                        Adrian
 
 
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* Adrian Wenner        E-Mail   [log in to unmask]  *
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