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How to Manage Pests

UC Pest Management Guidelines

| More pests | More crops | About guidelines |

Onion and Garlic

Relative Toxicities to Insecticides and Miticides Used in Onion and Garlic to Natural Enemies and Honey Bees

(Reviewed 1/07, updated 1/07)

In this Guideline:

Common name (trade name) Chemical class 1 Mode of action 2 Selectivity 3
(affected groups)		 Predatory mites 4 General predators 5 Parasites 5 Honey bees 6 Duration of impact
to natural enemies 7
azadirachtin (Neemix) B, IGR 26 broad (insects, mites) — L L III short
chlorpyrifos (Lorsban) OP 1B broad (insects, mites) M H H I moderate
cypermethrin (Ammo) P 3 broad (insects, mites) H H H I moderate
cyromazine (Trigard) TZ 17 narrow (leafminers) L L L III none
diazinon–foliar OP 1B broad (insects, mites) L H H I moderate to long
diazinon–granular OP 1B — L L L IV short
lambda-cyhalothrin (Warrior) P 3 broad (plant bugs, beetles, caterpillars) H H H I moderate
methomyl (Lannate) C 1A broad (insects , mites) H H H III moderate
methyl parathion (Penncap-M) OP 1B — — — — I —
permethrin (Ambush, Pounce) P 3 broad (insects, mites) L H H I long
pyrethrin/rotenone (Pyrellin E.C.) B/S 3/21 — — — — III short
spinosad (Entrust, Success) M 5 narrow (thrips, leafminers) L M8 L/M III short
zeta-cypermethrin (Mustang) P 3 broad (insects, mites) H M M I moderate
H = high
M = moderate
L = low
—  = no information
1  Chemical class: B = botanical; C = carbamate; IGR = insect growth regulator; M = microbial; OP = organophosphate; P = pyrethroid; S = synergist, TZ = triazine.
2 Modes of action are important in preventing the development of resistance to pesticides. Rotate chemicals with a different mode-of-action Group number, and do not use products with the same mode-of-action Group number more than twice per season. For example, the organophosphates have a Group number of 1B; chemicals with a 1B Group number should be alternated with chemicals that have a Group number other than 1B. Mode of action is assigned by IRAC (Insecticide Resistance Action Committee). For additional information, see their Web site at http://www.irac-online.org/.
3 Selectivity: Broad means it affects most groups of insects and mites; narrow means it affects only a few specific groups.
4 Generally, toxicites are to western predatory mite, Galendromus occidentalis.
5 Toxicities are averages of reported effects and should be used only as a general guide. Actual toxicity of a specific chemical depends on the species of predator or parasite, environmental conditions, and application rate.
6 Ratings are as follows: I-Do not apply to blooming plants; II-Apply in evening after bees have stopped foraging; III-Apply in late evening after bees have stopped foraging until early morning before they begin to forage again; and IV-Apply at any time with reasonable safety to bees. For more information, see How to Reduce Bee Poisoning From Pesticides (164K, PDF), Pacific Northwest Extension Publication PNW518.
7 Duration: Short means hours to days; moderate means days to 2 weeks; and long means many weeks or months.
8 Toxic against some natural enemies (predatory thrips, syrphid fly and lacewing larvae, beetles) when sprayed and shortly after (8-24 hrs.).

[Precautions]

PUBLICATION

[UC Peer Reviewed]

UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines: Onion and Garlic
UC ANR Publication 3453
General Information
Acknowledgments: This table was compiled based on research data and experience of University of California scientists working on a variety of crops.

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Statewide IPM Program, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California
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