Jim is correct, a DROPLET of 500 ppm imidacloprid would be an enormous  
contact dose to a termite.  We've done extensive contact toxicity testing,  had 
many long conversations with Larry Atkins before he passed away.
 
Dr. Atkins discovered,  and we soon came to the same conclusion,  that one 
has to keep the test droplet size VERY small - or else  just the carrier 
chemical alone will be toxic.  In this case, the  carrier was ethanol, which in 
itself is toxic to bees.  There's always  a carrier chemical - you have to dissolve 
the pesticide in something to form a  droplet, and its usually NOT water.
 
Larry advised using nano quantities (dispensed from rather pricey  
pippettes).   We agree.  We've fielded many calls from labs  trying to use Larry's 
contact toxicity assay - typically they use far to large a  droplet, and end up 
killing a sizable number of the control insects (contact  droplet same size as 
test droplet, but without the pesticide).
 
Jerry




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