JP7797613B2 - 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 to an aerosol for controlling pests and mites, which involves spraying an aerosol concentrate containing a control ingredient and an organic solvent, and a propellant, filled in an aerosol container equipped with a metered-dose valve with a single spray volume of 1.0 to 5.0 mL.

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 pass through include (1) fumigants, (2) full-volume aerosol sprays, (3) paint-on aerosols, and (4) baits, each with its own unique formulation.

(1) Fumigants and (2) total-discharge aerosols fall into the category of pharmaceuticals because they spray the chemicals throughout a room in one go, sealing the room for a specified period of time to increase the chemical concentration, and prohibit people from entering the room during that time. These formulations are effective in exterminating crawling pests and house dust mites for 2-4 weeks after a single application, but because the pre-use procedures are time-consuming and special attention must be paid to the safety of the chemicals, they are not a formulation 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 spot-on, are quasi-drugs with mild effects on the human body, and are easier to use than (1) fumigants and (2) full-volume spray aerosols. However, because they are not spatial applications, the efficiency of contact between the chemicals and pests and mites is lower, and they do not necessarily provide an efficient extermination method.

For this reason, it has traditionally been thought difficult to develop a quasi-drug pesticide for crawling pests or house dust mites that can be used for spatial treatment.

Patent Document 1 discloses a method for exterminating crawling pests by evaporating an insecticide liquid containing an insecticidal component and a solvent into a space such as an indoor space or storage space. The method uses a compound with a specific structure as the solvent, and uses a piezoelectric sprayer to evaporate the insecticide liquid little by little over time, so that small particles of the insecticide liquid remain suspended in the space. The method proposed in Patent Document 1 exterminates cockroaches by continuously emitting minute amounts of chemicals into the space over an extended period of time, similar to electric liquid mosquito repellents. However, since the method targets cockroaches, which are several dozen times more resistant to chemicals than mosquitoes, it is necessary to use a powerful insecticidal component, raising concerns about safety for humans.

In developing a spatial treatment agent that is a quasi-drug for controlling crawling pests and house dust mites, the inventors conducted extensive research to develop a formulation that, unlike (1) fumigants or (2) full-volume aerosols, which are used once every two to four weeks, would provide control for several days under practical conditions with a single, metered spray application, i.e., a formulation that would be used basically once every one to two days, and would be highly safe and usable even in situations where people are present. As a result, they invented an extremely useful "method for controlling insects and mites" (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. Furthermore, in order to achieve practical extermination effects against flying pests, this invention is designed so that the aerosol spray characteristics are such that after spraying, the spray particles are formed into floating particles and adhesive particles that adhere to walls and settle on the floor, and preferably 30-80% of the total spray particles adhere to walls or settle on the floor within one hour of spraying. Furthermore, at the time of the invention of Patent Document 2, the spray volume of a metered spray valve was generally 0.2-0.4 mL, and the formulation was typically pumped several times (by pressing the spray button) per treatment.

Meanwhile, Patent Document 3 discloses an aerosol product for exterminating crawling pests using a metered-dose injection valve, and a method for exterminating crawling pests. This aerosol product is characterized by increasing the blending ratio of 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, allowing the particles to be dispersed deep into gaps indoors. In other words, even though the method in Patent Document 3 is a metered-dose injection treatment, it falls under (3) local treatment using a paint-type aerosol, and not spatial treatment. Therefore, even if a high level of extermination effect is achieved 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, recognizing that the spatial metered dose spray treatment based on Patent Document 2 is the most efficient method for controlling pests and mites, conducted research to improve its convenience and further enhance its efficacy, particularly against crawling pests and house dust mites. First, they adopted a recently developed metered dose spray valve with a spray volume of 1.0 to 5.0 mL, allowing the required amount of active ingredient to be sprayed with a single push. Furthermore, they concluded that to improve the control effectiveness of spatial treatment against crawling pests, particularly cockroaches, it is not enough to simply form the spray particles after spraying into floating particles that float in the treatment space and adhesive particles that adhere to exposed areas within the treatment space. They also concluded that it is essential to make adhesive particles more dominant than the spray characteristics of Patent Document 2, and further increase the proportion of adhesive particles that settle on floors rather than adhering to walls and other surfaces. The inventors then discovered that the specific gravity of the aerosol concentrate and the aerosol's propelling force 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 ranges for the specific gravity of the aerosol concentrate and the aerosol's propelling force, 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 control effects against crawling pests and indoor dust mites for several days with just one push of 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.

The present invention has found that the following configurations are highly effective in achieving the above-mentioned object.
[1] A method for controlling pests and mites, which comprises filling an aerosol concentrate containing a control ingredient and an organic solvent, and a propellant into an aerosol container equipped with a metered injection valve with a spray volume of 1.0 to 5.0 mL per injection, with the aerosol for controlling pests and mites being sprayed,
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 pests 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 is 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 is 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 injection valve with a single injection volume of 1.0 to 5.0 mL,
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 treatment 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.

The pest and mite control method and pest and mite control aerosol of the present invention allows a specific pest and mite control aerosol containing a low-volatility compound to be sprayed indoors with a single push, and the control effect can be sustained for several days in the treated area, particularly against crawling pests and house dust mites. Because it provides a convenient and effective pest and mite control method and pest and mite control aerosol, it is 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 ingredient. After one-push spray treatment of the pest and mite control aerosol of the present invention in an indoor space, such control ingredient settles mainly as adhesive particles on the floor surface and exhibits excellent control effect in that indoor space, particularly against crawling pests and house dust mites. In the present invention, the control effect refers to the control effect based on the knockdown effect and lethal effect as well as the repellent effect. Even if the control effect is low, there are many situations in which pest control can be achieved in practice as long as there is sufficient repellent effect.

In other words, based on the recognition that the spatial metered dose spray treatment based on Patent Document 2 is the most efficient method for controlling pests and mites, the present invention aims to improve its convenience and further enhance its efficacy, particularly against crawling pests and house dust mites. First, a recently developed metered dose spray valve with a capacity of 1.0 to 5.0 mL is adopted, allowing the required amount of active ingredient to be sprayed with a single push. Furthermore, to enhance the control effectiveness of spatial treatment against crawling pests, particularly cockroaches, it is essential to increase the predominance of adhesive particles among the floating and adhesive particles formed from the spray particles after spraying, and further to increase the proportion of adhesive particles that settle to the floor rather than adhering to walls, etc. Furthermore, because the adhesive particles of the present invention penetrate into gaps and hidden areas during the process of settling, a flushing effect, causing cockroaches and other insects to flee from gaps and hidden areas, can be fully expected when a pyrethroid compound is used as the control ingredient.

The non-volatile pest control ingredient used in the present invention may be a compound for controlling crawling pests, primarily cockroaches, and/or a compound for controlling mites, primarily house 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. Of these, fenothrin, cyphenothrin, permethrin, cypermethrin, cyfluthrin, bifenthrin, fenpropathrin, tralomethrin, etofenprox, and dinotefuran are preferred. It goes without saying that when optical isomers or geometric isomers based on asymmetric carbons exist in the acid component or alcohol moiety of a pyrethroid compound, each of these isomers and any mixture thereof are also encompassed by the present invention.

Examples of mite control compounds 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.

The pest and mite control method of the present invention involves spraying a small, fixed amount of aerosol concentrate containing a control ingredient and an organic solvent into the air. The content of the control ingredient in the aerosol concentrate is preferably approximately 1.0 to 70 w/v%. If the content of the control ingredient in the aerosol concentrate is less than 1.0 w/v%, the desired control effect will not be achieved, and if it exceeds 70 w/v%, it will be difficult to stabilize the aerosol concentrate's liquid properties.

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

In the present invention, an organic solvent is blended to dissolve the above-mentioned non-volatile pest control ingredient, forming an aerosol concentrate. 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. However, lower alcohols with 2 to 3 carbon atoms, such as ethanol and isopropanol (IPA), are preferred.

The pest and mite control method of the present invention uses a pest and mite control aerosol containing a hardly volatile control ingredient, and by spraying a 1.0 to 5.0 mL per spray into an indoor space, the control effect against crawling pests and/or house dust mites in the treated area lasts for several days. The size of the indoor space is preferably a volume of 18.8 to 33.3 ^m (area 7.5 to 13.3 ^m , height 2.2 to 3.0 m), equivalent to a room of 4.5 to 8 tatami mats.

After spraying, spray particles are formed as floating particles that float in the treatment space or as adhesive particles that adhere to exposed areas within the treatment space. However, the inventors conducted research to further emphasize adhesive particles and, among the adhesive particles, to increase the proportion of adhesive particles that settle to floor surfaces rather than adhering to walls and other surfaces. As a result, the inventors discovered that the specific gravity of the aerosol concentrate and the aerosol spray force are important factors that determine the behavior of adhesive particles related to settling, and were able to identify the optimal ranges for these. Specifically, they confirmed that if the specific gravity of the aerosol concentrate is 0.85 to 1.15, preferably 0.89 to 1.10, and the spray force during spray treatment is 10 to 50 gf, preferably 15 to 35 gf, at a spray distance of 5 cm, 60% or more of the control ingredient settles and adheres to the entire floor surface of the indoor space within one hour after spraying, thereby providing excellent control of crawling pests and mites. Regarding the "settling and adhering of the pest control component over the entire floor surface," there is no need to check each time whether the pest control component has actually settled and adhered over the entire floor surface. As long as the aerosol is sprayed within the treatment space in a manner consistent with the spirit of the present invention, even if there is some unevenness or bias in the state of settling and adhering of the sprayed pest control component to the floor surface, the pest control component can be considered to have settled and adhered over the entire floor surface, and this consideration is not problematic in practice. If the specific gravity of the aerosol concentrate is less than 0.85, the amount of sprayed particles adhering to the floor surface tends to be insufficient. Conversely, if the specific gravity of the aerosol concentrate exceeds 1.15, the spray particles will settle too quickly, resulting in insufficient diffusion over the entire floor surface. Furthermore, if the spraying force of the spraying treatment is less than 10 gf, the spraying force will be insufficient, resulting in insufficient diffusion over the entire floor surface. Even if the spraying force exceeds 50 gf, good diffusion will not be achieved. The aerosol's spray force can be adjusted as needed by changing the formulation of the aerosol concentrate, the aerosol's internal pressure, the nozzle shape, 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) can be used:
δ = [a/(a+b)] × S ² × F ... (1)
It is preferable that δ, as defined above, is in the range of 1.0 to 30, and more preferably in the range of 3.0 to 15.

When δ is in the range of 1.0 to 30, a sufficient amount of the control ingredient will be dispersed evenly across the entire floor surface when the spray particles settle, resulting in desirable control effects. The reason the control ingredient is dispersed evenly across the entire floor surface is thought to be because the initial velocity of the spray particles sprayed from the pest and mite control aerosol is appropriate, allowing the spray particles to quickly reach every corner of the indoor space after spraying. If δ is less than 1.0, the amount of control ingredient adhering to the floor surface may be insufficient. On the other hand, if δ exceeds 30, diffusion across the entire floor surface may be insufficient. Therefore, if δ is outside the range of 1.0 to 30, there is a risk that satisfactory control effects 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 to satisfy the above. If the volume ratio is within the above range, a sufficient amount of the control ingredient will be uniformly dispersed 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 ingredient 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, resulting in insufficient dispersion over the entire floor surface.

Because the pest and mite control aerosol used in this invention is sprayed in small amounts, there is no need to be particularly concerned about the risk of fire. However, to minimize the risk of fire, a water-based formulation can be used. In this case, the amount of water contained in the aerosol concentrate is appropriately approximately 20-70 v/v%, and a small amount of nonionic surfactant may be added as a solubilizing aid, as long as it does not affect the spray pattern of the spray particles. Examples of nonionic surfactants include ethers such as polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ethers, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene alkyl ethers, and polyoxyethylene alkylamino 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 polyalkalolamides of fatty acids. Ethers are particularly suitable.

In addition to the above ingredients, the aerosol concentrate can also contain antifungal agents, antibacterial agents, and disinfectants for mold and fungi, as well as fragrances, deodorizers, stabilizers, antistatic agents, antifoaming agents, excipients, etc. Examples of antifungal agents, antibacterial agents, and disinfectants include hinokitiol, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, 2-(4-thiazolyl)benzimidazole, 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one, triforine, 3-methyl-4-isopropylphenol, and ortho-phenylphenol. Further, examples of fragrances include, but are not limited to, aromatic components such as 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, and benzyl acetate, as well as fragrance components containing leaf alcohol and leaf aldehyde, known as "green scents."

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 can be used as appropriate. The propellant can be selected appropriately taking into consideration the rate at which spray particles adhere to floors and walls, but propellants based primarily on LPG are typically easy to use. It is preferable to use the propellant with a gauge pressure (20°C) adjusted to 0.1 to 0.7 MPa.

The above-mentioned insect and mite control aerosol is equipped with a metered spray valve with a single spray volume of 1.0 to 5.0 mL, and is used for indoor spray treatment. Conventionally, metered spray valves have a spray volume of 0.2 to 0.4 mL, but the increased volume of the metered spray valve used in the present invention allows the required amount of active ingredient to be sprayed with a single push. The shapes of the nozzle, nozzle, container, etc. can be selected appropriately depending on the application and purpose of use. For example, it can be designed as a tabletop type with a button that sprays when pressed from above and a nozzle that faces diagonally upward, 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 single spray volume of 1.0 to 5.0 mL, preferably 1.0 to 3.0 mL, is 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, a single spray of the aerosol concentrate typically results in an amount of control component released into the air of 0.1 to 50 mg/m ^{3 .} However, in indoor spaces with larger volumes, multiple sprays of the aerosol concentrate can be used to achieve an amount of control component released into the air of 0.1 to 50 mg/m ³ in accordance with the volume of the indoor space, thereby achieving a similar control effect regardless of the size of the indoor space. For example, when spraying 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), equivalent to a room of 9 to 16 tatami mats, two sprays of the aerosol concentrate will result in the amount of control ingredient released into the air of 0.1 to 50 mg/ ^m3 . The frequency of use of this pest and mite control aerosol is basically once every 1 to 2 days, and if it is applied so that the amount of control ingredient released is within the above range, control effects can be maintained against crawling pests and/or house dust mites for several days. Furthermore, by using a control ingredient that is volatile at room temperature in combination, it is also possible to impart control effects against flying pests.

The pest and mite control method of the present invention is particularly effective for controlling cockroaches such as the German cockroach, American cockroach, and Siberian cockroach; ants; bedbugs such as bedbugs and Netting's mane bugs; crawling pests such as the red flour beetle, maize weevils, beetles, pill bugs, and woodlice; and indoor dust mites such as Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Dermatophagoides farinae, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, and Cheyletidae. However, the method is not limited to these crawling pests and mites; it is also fully applicable to controlling various pests that fly indoors and cause harm or discomfort to humans, such as mosquitoes such as Culex pipiens and Aedes albopictus, midges, house flies, moth flies, black flies, horseflies, wasps, and leafhoppers.

The pest and mite control method and pest and mite control aerosol of the present invention will be described in further detail based on specific examples and test examples. However, the present invention is not limited to these.

Example 1
An 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 spray valve and a spray volume of 1.0 mL, so that the volume ratio of the aerosol concentrate [a/(a+b)] 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. The δ was also 9.0.

In the center of a nearly sealed room with a volume of 25 ^m3 (equivalent to a 6-tatami room, with an area of 10 ^m2 ), a single shot of the insect and mite control aerosol was sprayed at a slight angle 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 control component released from the aerosol. As a result, it was confirmed that 72% of the total spray particles sprayed by this spraying treatment (i.e., 72% of the amount of control component released) settled and adhered to the entire floor surface within 1 hour after spraying. Furthermore, for several days after spraying, the aerosol exhibited excellent control effects against crawling pests such as cockroaches, ants, and beetles, and also repelled house dust mites. In addition, when a spray treatment was carried out in the center of a nearly sealed room with a volume of 50 ^m3 (equivalent to a ¹² -tatami room, area of 20 ^m2 ) by spraying the pest and mite control aerosol twice at a slight upward angle, it was confirmed that the aerosol was effective in controlling crawling pests, just as in a room with a volume of 25 m3.

[Examples 2 to 24, Comparative Examples 1 to 4]
Various aerosols for controlling pests and mites shown in Table 1 were prepared in accordance with Example 1. For the aerosols for controlling pests and mites in 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 aerosol for controlling pests and mites in Example 22, an aerosol container with a metered spray valve and a spray volume of 2.2 mL was used, and for the aerosol for controlling pests and mites in 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 control effect was first examined, and if the control effect was poor, the repellent effect was evaluated. The test results are summarized in Table 2.

(1) Efficacy against crawling pests A total of 12 20 x 20 cm glass plates (four each for German cockroaches, American cockroaches, and Japanese wood ants) were placed in the ^four corners of a closed room (area ¹⁰ m) with a volume of 25 m. A plastic ring with a diameter of approximately 20 cm was placed on each glass plate, and the specified test insects (German cockroaches: 5 female adults, American cockroaches: 5 larvae, Japanese wood ants: 5) were released into each ring and allowed to roam freely. The test aerosol was sprayed in one shot (spray volume: 1.0 mL for Examples 1 to 21, 23 to 24, Comparative Examples 1, 3 and 4, 2.2 mL for Example 22, 0.4 mL for Comparative Example 2) aimed slightly diagonally upward in the center of the room. After leaving the insects exposed to the chemicals for 24 hours, the glass plate and the ring containing the test insects were moved to another room, where they were fed, and after another 24 hours the mortality rate of the test insects was determined.

(2) Effect of extermination on indoor dust mites Eight waist-high petri dishes, each 9 cm in diameter and 6 cm in height (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 approximately 200 test mites of each type were placed in each dish. The test aerosol was sprayed in one shot in a slightly upward diagonal direction in the center of the room. After leaving the test mites exposed to the agent for 24 hours, the mortality rate of the test mites was determined.

(3) Repellent effect against house dust mites In the above test "(2) Extermination effect against house dust mites," cotton cloths with a diameter of approximately 4 cm were placed in the four corners of a room in place of test mites, and a single shot of the test aerosol was sprayed. 24 hours after spraying, the cotton cloths were removed and placed in a 4 cm diameter Petri dish, and 50 mg of attractant medium was placed in the center of the Petri dish. Separately, approximately 10,000 test house dust mites or Tyrophagus putrescentiae along with the medium were released into a 9 cm diameter Petri dish, and the previously prepared 4 cm diameter Petri dish was placed in the center of this 9 cm diameter Petri dish. Similarly, an untreated group was prepared using cotton cloth that had not been treated with the test aerosol. After 24 hours, the number of mites that had invaded the cotton cloth was counted, and the mite repellency rate was calculated according to the following formula.
Mite repellency rate (%) = [(Number of mites invaded in the untreated area - Number of mites in the treated area) / Number of mites invaded in the untreated area] × 100

(4) Floor adhesion rate of pest control ingredient. 20 x 20 cm glass plates were placed evenly across the floor of a closed room with a volume of 25 ^m3 (area of 10 ^m2 ) at 6 to 8 locations, and the test aerosol was sprayed in one shot from the center of the room, directed slightly diagonally upward. One hour after spraying, all glass plates were removed, and the adhered pest control ingredients were washed with acetone and analyzed by gas chromatography. Based on the obtained analytical values, the ratio of the pest control ingredients that had settled and adhered to the floor within one hour of spraying to the theoretical total amount of pest control ingredients sprayed (floor adhesion rate) was calculated. Furthermore, the variation in the pest control ingredients adhered to the glass plates was analyzed, and the uniformity of the spray particle diffusion was evaluated. The results were ranked on a four-point scale: A, B, C, and D, in order of best to worst diffusion uniformity.

Test results confirmed that, with the pest and mite control method of the present invention using the pest and mite control aerosols of Examples 1 to 24, spray particles spread substantially uniformly across the entire floor surface, and 60% or more of the control ingredient settled and adhered to the floor surface within one hour of spraying. Furthermore, when the pest and mite control aerosols of Examples 1 to 16 and 20 to 24, which contained a crawling pest control compound as a non-volatile control ingredient, were used, excellent control effects were confirmed against both crawling pests and house dust mites. When the pest and mite control aerosols of Examples 17 to 19, which contained a mite control compound as a non-volatile control ingredient, were used, excellent control effects were confirmed against house dust mites.

In contrast, Comparative Examples 1 to 4 failed to provide sufficient control effects against either crawling pests or house dust mites. Comparative Example 1 used an aerosol formulated solely with a room-temperature volatile pyrethroid compound, such as empenthrin, as the control ingredient, which likely resulted in low floor adhesion and, as a result, low control efficacy. Comparative Example 2 used a metered-dose spray valve with a spray volume of 0.4 mL, which likely resulted in the required amount of control ingredient not being sprayed with a single push, likely resulting in low control efficacy. 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 low uniformity of the sprayed particles was thought to be the cause of the reduced control efficacy.

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 (6)

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 injection valve with a single injection volume of 1.0 to 5.0 mL,
The pest is a creeping pest,
The control component comprises fenothrin and/or permethrin,
The specific gravity of the aerosol concentrate is 0.85 to 1.15;
The aerosol for controlling pests and mites has a spray force of 10 to 35 gf at a spray distance of 5 cm. 2. The aerosol for controlling insects and mites according to claim 1, wherein the control component consists solely of fenothrin and/or permethrin. 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 injection valve with a single injection volume of 1.0 to 5.0 mL,
The pest is a creeping pest,
The control component includes at least one selected from the group consisting of phenothrin , permethrin , benzyl benzoate, and dibutyl sebacate,
The specific gravity of the aerosol concentrate is 0.85 to 1.15;
The spray force of the aerosol for controlling pests and mites is 10 to 35 gf at a spray distance of 5 cm,
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 pest and mite control aerosol is F, the following formula (1) is obtained:
δ = [a/(a+b)] × S ² × F ... (1)
is configured so that δ defined as is in the range of 6.7 to 30,
The aerosol for controlling pests and mites is configured so that the volume ratio [a/(a+b)] of the filling amount a of the aerosol concentrate to the total volume (a+b) of the aerosol for controlling pests and mites is in the range of 0.1 to 0.4. 4. The aerosol for controlling insects and mites according to claim 3, wherein the control component comprises benzyl benzoate and/or dibutyl sebacate. 5. The aerosol for controlling pests and mites according to claim 1 , wherein the organic solvent is a lower alcohol having 2 to 3 carbon atoms. A method for controlling pests and mites, which comprises spraying the aerosol for controlling pests and mites according to any one of claims 1 to 5 .