JP7611866B2 - Method for controlling pests and mites, and aerosol for controlling pests and mites - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for controlling pests and mites, and an aerosol for controlling pests and mites, which is prepared by filling an aerosol concentrate containing a control ingredient and an organic solvent, and a propellant, into an aerosol container equipped with a constant-volume injection valve with a single injection volume of 1.0 to 5.0 mL, and which is used for spraying treatment.

Typical insecticides that target crawling pests such as cockroaches and house dust mites that roam floors and walls and are applied to areas where crawling pests and mites live or along their paths include (1) fumigants, (2) total-amount spray aerosols, (3) paint-on aerosols, and (4) baits, each of which has its own unique formulation.

(1) Fumigants and (2) total-discharge aerosols fall into the category of pharmaceuticals because they disperse the agent to every corner of a room in one go, sealing the room for a specified period of time to increase the agent concentration, and people cannot enter the room during that time. Once applied, these preparations are effective against crawling pests and house dust mites for 2 to 4 weeks, but because the procedures before use are time-consuming and special attention must be paid to the safety of the agent, they are not a type of agent that can be easily and frequently adopted.

On the other hand, (3) aerosol paints, which are applied locally to surfaces, and (4) baits, which are applied by point application, are quasi-drugs that have a mild effect on the human body and are easier to use than (1) fumigants and (2) total-amount spray aerosols. However, because they are not spatial applications, the contact efficiency between the agent and pests or mites is inferior, and they do not necessarily provide an efficient extermination method.

For this reason, it has traditionally been thought to be difficult to develop a control agent for crawling pests or indoor dust mites that can be classified as a quasi-drug while still being an airborne treatment.

Meanwhile, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for exterminating crawling pests by evaporating an insecticidal liquid containing an insecticidal component and a solvent into an indoor space, storage space, or other space, and discloses a crawling pest extermination method in which a compound having a specific structure is used as the solvent, and the insecticidal liquid is evaporated little by little over time using a piezoelectric sprayer so that small particles of the insecticidal liquid are kept suspended in the space. This method of Patent Document 1 proposes exterminating cockroaches by continuously emitting minute amounts of chemicals into the space over a long period of time, like liquid electric mosquito repellents, but since the target is cockroaches, which are several tens of times more resistant to chemicals than mosquitoes, it is necessary to use a strong insecticidal component, which inevitably raises concerns about safety to the human body.

The present inventors previously conducted intensive research in developing a spatial treatment agent that is a quasi-drug for controlling crawling pests and house dust mites, aiming to develop a highly safe formulation that can be used even in situations where people are present, which is not a formulation that is used once every 2-4 weeks, such as (1) fumigants or (2) total-volume spray aerosols, but rather a formulation that can be sprayed once in a fixed amount and has a control effect that lasts for several days under practical conditions, i.e. a formulation that is basically used once every 1-2 days. As a result, they invented an extremely useful "pest and mite control method" (see Patent Document 2), which is effective not only against crawling pests and house dust mites, but also against flying pests on the day of spraying. In addition, in order to achieve a practical extermination effect against flying pests, this invention is designed so that the sprayed particles after spraying are formed into floating particles and adhesive particles that adhere to walls and settle on the floor, and preferably 30 to 80% of the total sprayed particles adhere to walls or settle on the floor within one hour after spraying. Also, at the time of the invention of Patent Document 2, the spray volume of a metered dose spray valve was generally 0.2 to 0.4 mL, and the formulation was basically used for several pushes (pressing the spray button) in one treatment.

Meanwhile, Patent Document 3 discloses an aerosol product for exterminating crawling pests using a constant-dose injection valve and a method for exterminating crawling pests. This aerosol product is characterized by increasing the blending ratio of the propellant contained in the aerosol container, lowering the vapor pressure of the solvent that dissolves the active ingredient, and slowing the evaporation rate of the solvent that forms the particles sprayed from the aerosol container, so that the particles are dispersed deep into gaps indoors. In other words, even though the method of Patent Document 3 is a constant-dose injection treatment, it falls under (3) local treatment using a paint-type aerosol, and does not fall under spatial treatment. Therefore, even if a high extermination effect is obtained locally in some gaps, it does not mean that crawling pests can be efficiently exterminated throughout the entire indoor space.

JP 2009-143868 A Patent No. 5517122 JP 2018-12676 A

In light of this situation, the inventors of the present invention, recognizing that the spatial fixed-volume spray treatment based on Patent Document 2 is the most efficient method for controlling pests and mites, have conducted research to improve its convenience and further improve its efficacy, especially against crawling pests and indoor dust mites. First, a fixed-volume spray valve with a spray volume of 1.0 to 5.0 mL, which has been developed in recent years, is adopted, making it possible to spray the required amount of active ingredient with a single push. Based on this, in order to improve the control effect of spatial treatment, especially against crawling pests such as cockroaches, it is not enough to simply form the spray particles after spraying as floating particles that float in the treatment space and adhesive particles that adhere to exposed parts in the treatment space, but it is essential to make the adhesive particles more dominant compared to the spray characteristics of Patent Document 2, and further to increase the ratio of adhesive particles that settle on the floor surface rather than adhering to walls, etc. The inventors discovered that the specific gravity of the aerosol concentrate and the propelling force of the aerosol are important factors that determine the behavior of adhesive particles related to settling, and after repeated trial and error and testing, they identified the optimal range for the specific gravity of the aerosol concentrate and the propelling force of the aerosol, thereby completing the present invention.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method for controlling pests and mites, and an aerosol for controlling pests and mites, which can maintain the control effect against crawling pests and indoor dust mites for several days by simply pushing an aerosol for controlling pests and mites equipped with a metered dose valve with a capacity of 1.0 to 5.0 mL in an indoor space once.

The present invention has discovered that the following configurations are highly effective in achieving the above object.
[1] A method for controlling pests and mites, comprising filling an aerosol concentrate containing a control component and an organic solvent, and a propellant, into an aerosol container equipped with a metered-volume spray valve with a spray volume of 1.0 to 5.0 mL per spray, and using the aerosol for controlling pests and mites,
The control component is a hardly volatile compound having a vapor pressure of less than 1×10 ⁻⁴ mmHg at 30° C.,
The specific gravity of the aerosol concentrate is 0.85 to 1.15;
The spray force of the pest and mite control aerosol is 10 to 50 gf at a spray distance of 5 cm;
In the spraying treatment, the aerosol concentrate is sprayed into the air of an indoor space so that the amount of the control component released is 0.1 to 50 mg/ ^m3 , and 60% or more of the control component is diffused and attached to the entire floor surface of the indoor space within one hour after spraying.
[2] The pest and mite control aerosol has a filling amount of the aerosol concentrate of a, a filling amount of the propellant of b, a specific gravity of the aerosol concentrate of S, and a spray force of the pest and mite control aerosol of F, which satisfies the following formula (1):
δ = [a/(a+b)] × S ² × F ... (1)
The method for controlling insects and mites according to [1], wherein δ defined as above is in the range of 1.0 to 30.
[3] The aerosol for controlling pests and mites comprises a compound represented by the following formula (2):
0.1 ≦ [a/(a+b)] ≦ 0.5... (2)
The method for controlling pests and mites according to [2], which is configured to satisfy the above.
[4] The aerosol for controlling pests and mites comprises a compound represented by the following formula (3):
3.0≦δ≦15... (3)
The method for controlling pests and mites according to [2] or [3], which is configured to satisfy the above.
[5] The method for controlling insects and mites according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the hardly volatile compound is at least one compound for controlling crawling insects selected from the group consisting of fenothrin, cyphenothrin, permethrin, cypermethrin, cyfluthrin, bifenthrin, fenpropathrin, tralomethrin, etofenprox, and dinotefuran.
[6] The method for controlling insects and mites according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the hardly volatile compound is at least one mite control compound selected from the group consisting of amidoflumet, benzyl benzoate, phenyl salicylate, benzyl salicylate, dibutyl sebacate, dipropyl sebacate, dibutyl adipate, diethyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, and p-menthane-3,8-diol.
[7] The method for controlling insects and mites according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the organic solvent is a lower alcohol having 2 to 3 carbon atoms.
[8] The method for controlling insects and mites according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein the floor area of the indoor space is 7.5 to 26.6 ^m2 .
[9] An aerosol for controlling pests and mites, comprising an aerosol concentrate containing a control component and an organic solvent, and a propellant, filled in an aerosol container equipped with a metered-volume spray valve with a spray volume of 1.0 to 5.0 mL per spray,
The control component is a hardly volatile compound having a vapor pressure of less than 1×10 ⁻⁴ mmHg at 30° C.,
The specific gravity of the aerosol concentrate is 0.85 to 1.15;
The spray force of the pest and mite control aerosol is 10 to 50 gf at a spray distance of 5 cm;
When the aerosol concentrate is sprayed into the air of an indoor space in a single spray process via the metered spray valve so that the amount of the control component released is 0.1 to 50 mg/ ^m3 , 60% or more of the control component will diffuse and adhere to the entire floor surface of the indoor space within one hour after spraying.

According to the pest and mite control method and pest and mite control aerosol of the present invention, a specific pest and mite control aerosol containing a hardly volatile compound can be sprayed in an indoor space with a single push, and the control effect against crawling pests and indoor dust mites in the treated area can be sustained for several days. As a convenient and effective pest and mite control method and pest and mite control aerosol are provided, they are extremely practical.

In the present invention, a hardly volatile compound having a vapor pressure of less than 1×10 ⁻⁴ mmHg at 30° C. is used as the control component. After the pest and mite control aerosol of the present invention is sprayed in an indoor space with one push, the control component settles mainly as adhesive particles on the floor surface and shows excellent control effect against crawling pests and indoor dust mites in the indoor space. In the present invention, the control effect refers to the repellent effect in addition to the control effect based on the knockdown effect and lethal effect. Even if the control effect is low, there are many situations in which control can be achieved in practice as long as there is a sufficient repellent effect.

That is, the present invention aims to improve the convenience of the spatial fixed-amount spray treatment based on Patent Document 2, based on the recognition that it is the most efficient method for controlling pests and mites, and to further improve its efficacy, especially against crawling pests and indoor dust mites. First, a recently developed fixed-amount spray valve with a capacity of 1.0 to 5.0 mL is adopted, making it possible to spray the required amount of active ingredient with one push. In addition, in order to improve the control effect against crawling pests, especially cockroaches, in spatial treatment, it is essential to increase the dominance of adhesive particles among the floating particles and adhesive particles formed from the spray particles after spraying, and further to increase the ratio of adhesive particles that settle to the floor surface rather than adhering to walls, etc. It is to be noted that the adhesive particles of the present invention also enter gaps and shadows in the process of settling, so when a pyrethroid compound is used as the control ingredient, a flushing effect in which cockroaches and the like jump out of gaps and shadows can be fully expected.

The non-volatile control component used in the present invention may be a compound for controlling crawling pests, mainly cockroaches, and/or a compound for controlling mites, mainly indoor dust mites. Examples of compounds for controlling crawling pests include pyrethroid compounds such as fenothrin, cyphenothrin, permethrin, cypermethrin, cyfluthrin, bifenthrin, fenpropathrin, tralomethrin, etofenprox, and imiprothrin, silicon compounds such as silafluofen, organophosphorus compounds such as dichlorvos and fenitrothion, carbamate compounds such as propoxur, neonicotinoid compounds such as dinotefuran, imidacloprid, and clothianidin, and other compounds such as fipronil and indoxacarb. Among these, fenothrin, cyphenothrin, permethrin, cypermethrin, cyfluthrin, bifenthrin, fenpropathrin, tralomethrin, etofenprox, and dinotefuran are preferred. In addition, when optical isomers or geometric isomers based on asymmetric carbons exist in the acid component or alcohol portion of the pyrethroid compound, each of them and any mixture thereof are of course also included in the present invention.

Examples of compounds for controlling mites include amidoflumet, benzyl benzoate, phenyl salicylate, benzyl salicylate, dibutyl sebacate, dipropyl sebacate, dibutyl adipate, diethyl phthalate, dipropyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, p-menthane-3,8-diol, 3-iodo-2-propynyl butylcarbamate, fenothrin, and DEET, with amidoflumet, benzyl benzoate, phenyl salicylate, benzyl salicylate, dibutyl sebacate, dipropyl sebacate, dibutyl adipate, diethyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, p-menthane-3,8-diol, fenothrin, and DEET being preferred.

In the method for controlling pests and mites of the present invention, a small, fixed amount of an aerosol concentrate containing a control component and an organic solvent is sprayed into the air. The content of the control component in the aerosol concentrate is preferably about 1.0 to 70 w/v %. If the content of the control component in the aerosol concentrate is less than 1.0 w/v %, the desired control effect cannot be obtained, and if it exceeds 70 w/v %, it becomes difficult to stabilize the liquid properties of the aerosol concentrate.

In the present invention, in addition to the above-mentioned hardly volatile control component, a room temperature volatile control component having a vapor pressure of 2×10 ⁻⁴ mmHg or more and less than 1×10 ⁻² mmHg at 30° C. may be added so that a certain amount of spray particles remain floating in the air after spatial spray treatment and can exert a control effect against flying pests as well. Examples of such room temperature volatile control components include metofluthrin, profluthrin, transfluthrin, empenthrin, telallethrin, and furametrin. It has been recognized that the room temperature volatile control component, when partially attached to a floor surface or wall surface together with the hardly volatile control component, can synergistically enhance the control effect against crawling pests and/or house dust mites. In addition, taking into consideration the vapor pressure, stability, basic insecticidal efficacy, etc., metofluthrin, profluthrin, and transfluthrin are preferred as room temperature volatile control components, and it goes without saying that when optical isomers or geometric isomers based on asymmetric carbons are present in the acid component or alcohol portion of these compounds, each of them and any mixtures thereof are also encompassed in the present invention.

In the present invention, an organic solvent is blended to dissolve the above-mentioned hardly volatile pest control component, and an aerosol concentrate is formed. Examples of such organic solvents include lower alcohols with 2 to 3 carbon atoms, hydrocarbon solvents such as normal paraffin and isoparaffin, ester solvents such as isopropyl myristate (IPM) and hexyl laurate, glycol ether solvents with 3 to 10 carbon atoms, and ketone solvents, but lower alcohols with 2 to 3 carbon atoms, such as ethanol and isopropanol (IPA), are preferred.

The method for controlling pests and mites of the present invention uses an aerosol for controlling pests and mites containing a hardly volatile control component, and sprays the aerosol into an indoor space at a volume of 1.0 to 5.0 mL per spray, thereby maintaining the control effect against crawling pests and/or indoor dust mites in the treated area for several days. The size of the indoor space is preferably a volume of 18.8 to 33.3 ^m3 (area 7.5 to 13.3 ^m2 , height 2.2 to 3.0 m), which is equivalent to a room of 4.5 to 8 tatami mats.

After spraying, the spray particles are formed as floating particles floating in the treatment space or as adhesive particles that adhere to exposed parts in the treatment space, but the inventors have conducted research to make adhesive particles more predominant and to increase the ratio of adhesive particles that settle on the floor surface rather than adhering to walls and the like. As a result, the inventors have found that the specific gravity of the aerosol concentrate and the spray force of the aerosol are important factors that determine the behavior of adhesive particles related to settling, and have identified the optimal ranges for them. That is, if the specific gravity of the aerosol concentrate is 0.85 to 1.15, preferably 0.89 to 1.10, and the spray force of the spray treatment is 10 to 50 gf, preferably 15 to 35 gf at a spray distance of 5 cm, it has been confirmed that 60% or more of the control component settles and adheres to the entire floor surface of the indoor space within 1 hour after spraying, and excellent control effects against crawling pests and mites can be achieved. Regarding the "settling and adhering of the control component over the entire floor surface," there is no need to check each time whether the control component has actually settled and adhered over the entire floor surface. As long as the aerosol is sprayed in the treatment space in a manner consistent with the spirit of the present invention, even if there is some distribution or bias in the state of settling and adhering of the sprayed control component to the floor surface, the control component can be considered to have settled and adhered over the entire floor surface, and there is no practical problem even if it is considered in this way. If the specific gravity of the aerosol concentrate is less than 0.85, the amount of spray particles adhering to the floor surface tends to be insufficient, and if the specific gravity of the aerosol concentrate is more than 1.15, conversely, the spray particles settle too quickly and the spread over the entire floor surface is insufficient. In addition, if the spraying force of the spraying process is less than 10 gf, the spraying force tends to be insufficient and the spread over the entire floor surface tends to be insufficient, and even if the spraying force exceeds 50 gf, good spread cannot be obtained. The aerosol's spray force can be adjusted as needed by changing the formulation of the aerosol concentrate, the internal pressure of the aerosol, the shape of the nozzle, etc.

Furthermore, when the filling amount of the aerosol concentrate is a, the filling amount of the propellant is b, the specific gravity of the aerosol concentrate is S, and the spray force of the aerosol for controlling pests and mites is F, the following formula (1):
δ = [a/(a+b)] × S ² × F ... (1)
It is preferable that δ, defined as above, is in the range of 1.0 to 30, and more preferably in the range of 3.0 to 15.

If δ is in the range of 1.0 to 30, a sufficient amount of the control ingredient will be uniformly spread over the entire floor surface when the spray particles settle, resulting in a favorable control effect. The reason the control ingredient spreads evenly over the entire floor surface is thought to be that the initial velocity of the spray particles sprayed from the pest and mite control aerosol is appropriate, and the spray particles quickly reach every corner of the indoor space after spraying. If δ is less than 1.0, the amount of the control ingredient adhering to the floor surface may be insufficient. On the other hand, if δ exceeds 30, the diffusibility over the entire floor surface may be insufficient. Therefore, if δ is outside the range of 1.0 to 30, there is a risk that a satisfactory control effect may not be achieved.

The pest and mite control aerosol has a volume ratio [a/(a+b)] of the filling amount a of the aerosol concentrate to the total volume (a+b) of the pest and mite control aerosol, which satisfies the following formula (2):
0.1 ≦ [a/(a+b)] ≦ 0.5... (2)
It is preferable that the above ratio is satisfied. If the volume ratio is within the above range, a sufficient amount of the control component will be uniformly diffused over the entire floor surface. If the volume ratio is less than 0.1 and the amount of propellant is too large, the amount of the control component adhering to the floor surface will be insufficient. On the other hand, if the volume ratio exceeds 0.5, the spray particles will settle too quickly and will not be sufficiently diffused over the entire floor surface.

The pest and mite control aerosol used in the present invention is sprayed in small amounts, so there is no need to pay special attention to the risk of fire, but a water-based formulation can be used to reduce the risk of fire as much as possible. In this case, the amount of water contained in the aerosol concentrate is appropriately about 20 to 70 v/v%, and a small amount of a nonionic surfactant may be added as a solubilizing aid within a range that does not affect the spray pattern of the spray particles. Examples of nonionic surfactants include ethers such as polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, polyoxyethylene alkyl phenyl ethers, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene alkyl ethers, and polyoxyethylene alkyl amino ethers, fatty acid esters such as polyethylene glycol fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, and polyoxyethylene glycerin fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene styrenated phenol, and polyalkalolamide of fatty acid, and among them, ethers are suitable.

In addition to the above ingredients, the aerosol concentrate may also contain antifungal agents, antibacterial agents, and bactericides targeted at molds and fungi, or fragrances, deodorants, stabilizers, antistatic agents, antifoaming agents, excipients, etc. Examples of antifungal agents, antibacterial agents, and bactericides include hinokitiol, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, 2-(4-thiazolyl)benzimidazole, 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one, triforine, 3-methyl-4-isopropylphenol, and ortho-phenylphenol. Examples of fragrances include, but are not limited to, orange oil, lemon oil, lavender oil, peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, citronella oil, lime oil, yuzu oil, jasmine oil, cypress oil, green tea essential oil, limonene, α-pinene, linalool, geraniol, phenylethyl alcohol, amyl cinnamic aldehyde, cumin aldehyde, benzyl acetate, and other fragrance components, such as leaf alcohol and leaf aldehyde, which are known as "green scents."

The propellants used in the present invention include liquefied gases such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), dimethyl ether and hydrofluorocarbons, and compressed gases such as nitrogen gas, carbon dioxide gas, nitrous oxide and compressed air, and one or more of these may be used as appropriate. The propellant may be selected as appropriate taking into consideration the adhesion rate of the spray particles to the floor or wall, but it is usually easy to use a propellant that is mainly made of LPG. It is preferable to use the propellant with a gauge pressure (20°C) adjusted to 0.1 to 0.7 MPa.

The above-mentioned pest and mite control aerosol is equipped with a constant-volume injection valve with a spray volume of 1.0 to 5.0 mL per spray, and is used for constant-volume spray treatment indoors. Conventionally, the spray volume of constant-volume injection valves was 0.2 to 0.4 mL, but the constant-volume injection valve used in the present invention has an increased capacity, making it possible to spray the required amount of active ingredient with a single push. In addition, the shape of the nozzle, nozzle, container, etc. can be appropriately selected depending on the application and purpose of use. For example, it can be designed as a tabletop type with a button that is pressed from above to spray and a nozzle that faces diagonally upwards, or as a small, portable container.

In the pest and mite control method of the present invention, the thus obtained pest and mite control aerosol is used, and a spray volume per time is set to 1.0 to 5.0 mL, preferably 1.0 to 3.0 mL, and sprayed into the air in an indoor space, so that the amount of control component released into the air is set to 0.1 to 50 mg/m ³ , preferably 0.5 to 50 mg/m ³ . When spraying in an indoor space with a volume of 18.8 to 33.3 m ³ (area 7.5 to 13.3 m ² , height 2.2 to 3.0 m ), which corresponds to a room of 4.5 to 8 tatami mats, usually, a single spray of the aerosol concentrate will release a control component into the air of 0.1 to 50 mg/m ³ , but in an indoor space with a larger volume, a similar control effect can be obtained regardless of the size of the indoor space by spraying the aerosol concentrate multiple times so that the amount of control component released into the air is 0.1 to 50 mg/m ³ according to the volume of the indoor space. For example, when spraying in an indoor space with a volume of 37.6 to 66.6 ^m3 (area 15 to 26.6 ^m2 , height 2.2 to 3.0 m), which corresponds to a room of 9 to 16 tatami mats, spraying the aerosol concentrate twice will result in an amount of control component released into the air of 0.1 to 50 mg/ ^m3 . The frequency of use of the aerosol for controlling pests and mites is basically once every 1 to 2 days, and if it is applied so that the amount of control component released is within the above range, the control effect against crawling pests and/or indoor dust mites can be maintained for several days. It is also possible to impart a control effect against flying pests by using a control component that is volatile at room temperature in combination.

The method for controlling pests and mites of the present invention is particularly effective for controlling cockroaches such as the German cockroach, the American cockroach, and the Siberian cockroach, ants, bedbugs such as the bedbug and the Nettle bug, crawling pests such as the red flour beetle, the rice weevil, the beetle, the pillbug, and the woodlouse, and indoor dust mites such as the Tyrophagus putrescentiae, the house dust mite, the Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, and the Cheyletid mite. However, the method is not limited to these crawling pests and mites, and is also fully applicable to controlling various pests that fly indoors and cause damage and discomfort to people, such as mosquitoes such as Culex pipiens and Aedes albopictus, midges, house flies, moth flies, black flies, horseflies, bees, and leafhoppers.

The method for controlling pests and mites and the aerosol for controlling pests and mites of the present invention will be described in more detail based on specific examples and test examples. However, the present invention is not limited to these.

Example 1
Aerosol concentrate was prepared by dissolving 53 w/v% fenothrin and 0.7 w/v% metofluthrin in ethanol. 12 mL of this aerosol concentrate (a) and 18 mL of liquefied petroleum gas (b) as a propellant were pressurized and filled into an aerosol container (pressure-resistant container) with a metered-volume spray valve having a spray volume of 1.0 mL so that the volume ratio [a/(a+b)] of the aerosol concentrate was 0.4, to obtain the aerosol for pest and mite control of Example 1. The specific gravity of this aerosol concentrate was 0.93, and the spray force of this aerosol at a spray distance of 5 cm was 26 gf. In addition, δ was 9.0.

In the center of a nearly sealed room with a volume of 25 ^m3 (equivalent to a room of 6 tatami mats, area 10 ^m2 ), a one-shot of the pest and mite control aerosol was sprayed slightly diagonally upward. The adhesion rate (%) of the control component to the floor surface was calculated from the analysis results by gas chromatography described below and the amount of the control component released from the aerosol. As a result, it was confirmed that 72% of the total spray particles sprayed by this spray treatment (i.e., 72% of the amount of the control component released) settled and adhered to the entire floor surface within 1 hour after the spray treatment. Then, for several days after the spray treatment, it exhibited excellent control effects against crawling pests such as cockroaches, ants, and beetles, and also repelled indoor dust mites. In addition, when an aerosol for controlling insects and mites was sprayed twice in a slightly upward direction in the center of a nearly sealed room with a volume of 50 ^m3 (equivalent to a 12-tatami room, area of 20 ^m2 ), it was confirmed that the aerosol showed a control effect against crawling pests, similar to that in a room with a volume of 25 ^m3 .

[Examples 2 to 24, Comparative Examples 1 to 4]
Various pest and mite control aerosols shown in Table 1 were prepared in accordance with Example 1. For the pest and mite control aerosols of Examples 2 to 21, 23 to 24, and Comparative Examples 1, 3 and 4, an aerosol container with a metered spray valve and a spray volume of 1.0 mL was used, for the pest and mite control aerosol of Example 22, an aerosol container with a metered spray valve and a spray volume of 2.2 mL was used, and for the pest and mite control aerosol of Comparative Example 2, an aerosol container with a metered spray valve and a spray volume of 0.4 mL was used.

The following tests were conducted using the pest and mite control aerosols of Examples 1 to 24 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4. For indoor dust mites, the extermination effect was first examined, and if the extermination effect was poor, the repellent effect was evaluated. The test results are summarized in Table 2.

(1) Effect of extermination against crawling pests A total of 12 20 x 20 cm glass plates (4 each for B. germanica, P. americanica, and P. nigricans) were placed in the four corners of a closed room (area 10 ^m2 ) with a volume of 25 ^m3 , and a plastic ring with a diameter of about 20 cm was placed on each glass plate. In each ring, a given test insect (B. germanica: 5 female adults, P. americanica: 5 larvae, P. nigricans: 5) was released and allowed to wander freely. The test aerosol was sprayed in one shot (spray volume: Examples 1-21, 23-24, Comparative Examples 1, 3-4 1.0 mL, Example 22 2.2 mL, Comparative Example 2 0.4 mL) at a slight angle upward in the center of the room. After leaving the insects exposed to the drug for 24 hours, the glass plate together with the ring containing the test insects was moved to another room, where they were fed, and after a further 24 hours the mortality rate of the test insects was determined.

(2) Effect of extermination against indoor dust mites Eight waist-high petri dishes with a diameter of 9 cm and a height of 6 cm (four each for Dermatophagoides farinae and Tyrophagus putrescentiae) were placed in the four corners of a closed room with a volume of 25 ^m3 (area of 10 ^m2 ), and about 200 of each type of test mite were placed in each dish for testing. The test aerosol was sprayed in one shot slightly diagonally upward in the center of the room. After leaving the test aerosol for 24 hours to expose the test mites to the drug, the mortality rate of the test mites was calculated.

(3) Repellent effect against indoor dust mites In the above-mentioned "(2) Repellent effect against indoor dust mites" test, a cotton cloth with a diameter of about 4 cm was placed in the four corners of the room instead of the test mites, and the test aerosol was sprayed with one shot. 24 hours after the spraying, the cotton cloth was taken out and placed in a petri dish with a diameter of 4 cm, and 50 mg of the attractant medium was placed in the center of the petri dish. Separately, about 10,000 test mites, Dermatophagoides farinae, or Tyrophagus putrescentiae, were released together with the medium in a petri dish with a diameter of 9 cm, and the previously prepared petri dish with a diameter of 4 cm was placed in the center of the petri dish with a diameter of 9 cm. Similarly, an untreated area was prepared using cotton cloth that was not treated with the test aerosol. After 24 hours, the number of mites that had invaded the cotton cloth was counted, and the mite repellency was calculated according to the following formula.
Mite repellency rate (%) = [(number of mites invading the untreated area - number of mites invading the treated area) / number of mites invading the untreated area] x 100

(4) Floor adhesion rate of the control component Glass plates of 20 x 20 cm were placed evenly on 6 to 8 places on the floor of a closed room with a volume of 25 ^m3 (area 10 ^m2 ), and the test aerosol was sprayed in one shot slightly diagonally upward in the center of the room. One hour after the spraying treatment, all the glass plates were removed, and the attached control components were washed with acetone and analyzed by gas chromatography. Based on the obtained analytical values, the ratio of the control components that had settled and attached to the floor surface within one hour after the spraying treatment to the theoretical total amount of the control components sprayed (floor adhesion rate) was calculated. In addition, the variation between each glass plate for the control components attached to the glass plates was analyzed, and the diffusion uniformity of the spray particles was evaluated. The results were graded into four levels, A, B, C, and D, in order of best diffusion uniformity.

As a result of the test, it was confirmed that, according to the pest and mite control method of the present invention using the pest and mite control aerosols of Examples 1 to 24, the spray particles are dispersed almost uniformly over the entire floor surface, and 60% or more of the control component settles and adheres to the floor surface within one hour after spraying. In addition, it was confirmed that when the pest and mite control aerosols of Examples 1 to 16 and 20 to 24, which contain a crawling pest control compound as a non-volatile control component, are used, they have an excellent control effect against both crawling pests and indoor dust mites. It was confirmed that when the pest and mite control aerosols of Examples 17 to 19, which contain a mite control compound as a non-volatile control component, are used, they have an excellent control effect against indoor dust mites.

In contrast, in Comparative Examples 1 to 4, sufficient control effects were not obtained against either crawling pests or indoor dust mites. In Comparative Example 1, an aerosol containing only a pyrethroid compound that is volatile at room temperature, such as empenthrin, was used as the control ingredient, which is thought to have reduced the floor adhesion rate and, as a result, reduced control effect. In Comparative Example 2, a metered dose injection valve with an injection volume of 0.4 mL was used, so the control ingredient injected with one push did not reach the required amount, which is thought to have reduced control effect. In Comparative Examples 3 and 4, where the specific gravity of the aerosol concentrate was outside the range of 0.85 to 1.15 specified in the present invention, the spray particles were not uniformly dispersed, which is thought to be the cause of the reduced control effect.

The pest and mite control method and pest and mite control aerosol of the present invention can be used to control a wide range of pests and mites, not just indoors.

Claims (7)

An aerosol for controlling pests and mites, comprising an aerosol concentrate containing a hardly volatile control ingredient and an organic solvent, and a propellant, filled in an aerosol container equipped with a metered-volume injection valve with an injection volume of 1.0 mL per injection,
The pest is a creeping pest,
The control component consists of at least one selected from the group consisting of fenothrin, permethrin, cyphenothrin, and tralomethrin,
The specific gravity of the aerosol concentrate is 0.85 to 1.15;
The spray force of the pest and mite control aerosol is 10 to 50 gf at a spray distance of 5 cm;
In the spraying treatment, the aerosol concentrate is sprayed into the air of an indoor space so that the amount of the control component released is 0.1 to 50 mg/ ^m3. When the filling amount of the aerosol concentrate is a, the filling amount of the propellant is b, the specific gravity of the aerosol concentrate is S, and the spraying force of the pest and mite control aerosol is F, the following formula (1):
δ = [a/(a+b)] × S ² × F ... (1)
2. The aerosol for controlling insects and mites according to claim 1, wherein δ, as defined above, is in the range of 1.0 to 30. The following formula (2):
0.1 ≦ [a/(a+b)] ≦ 0.5... (2)
The aerosol for controlling pests and mites according to claim 2, which is configured to satisfy the above requirements. The following formula (3):
3.0≦δ≦15... (3)
The aerosol for controlling insects and mites according to claim 2 or 3, which is configured to satisfy the above requirements. The aerosol for controlling pests and mites according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the organic solvent is a lower alcohol having 2 to 3 carbon atoms. The aerosol for controlling pests and mites according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the floor area of the indoor space is 7.5 to 26.6 ^m2 . A method for controlling pests and mites, comprising filling an aerosol concentrate containing a hardly volatile control ingredient and an organic solvent, and a propellant, into an aerosol container equipped with a metered-volume spray valve with a spray volume of 1.0 mL per spray, and using the aerosol for controlling pests and mites,
The pest is a creeping pest,
The control component is at least one selected from the group consisting of fenothrin, permethrin, cyphenothrin, and tralomethrin,
The specific gravity of the aerosol concentrate is 0.85 to 1.15;
The spray force of the pest and mite control aerosol is 10 to 50 gf at a spray distance of 5 cm;
The method for controlling pests and mites comprises spraying the aerosol concentrate into the air of an indoor space in a single spray treatment through the metered injection valve so that the amount of the control component released is 0.1 to 50 mg/ ^m3 .