The drug Agita: features of use against flies

02/28/2018 Category: Pest Control Author: Evgenia Suchkova

With the onset of warmer weather, many people are faced with the problem of an infestation of flies. In June-August their numbers reach their peak, and the inconvenience from the presence of these small insects becomes more pronounced. Many drugs have been developed against flies in different forms: adhesive tapes, aerosols, plates and liquids for fumigators. Today, the Austrian drug Agita is becoming increasingly popular. Manufacturers promise a quick effect from using the prepared solution.

2 Agita: general information about the drug
3 Advantages and disadvantages of Agita
4 How to use Agita correctly
5 Safety precautions when working with the drug
6 Video: Agitation against flies
7 Reviews

Flies in the house: why are they dangerous?

Of course, flies are not the most dangerous insects that can appear in the house. They do not drink blood (with the exception of the burner fly) and do not cause such disgust as occurs when “meeting” bedbugs and cockroaches. Houseflies cause anxiety when there are too many of them. The buzzing of these insects is annoying. But the problem of being close to flies is not only their intrusiveness. They can cause many health problems, as they are carriers of infectious agents:

dysentery;
typhoid fever;
paratyphoid fever;
cholera;
tuberculosis;
polio;
helminthic and protozoal infestations, etc.

One fly on its furry legs carries up to 50 thousand pathogens.
If flies appear in an apartment, they will land on everything: dishes, food, personal items. This means there is a risk of contracting an infection.

Precautionary measures

When working with products, be careful and follow simple rules. Before disinsection, hide food in plastic bags, remove dishes and personal hygiene items.

Evacuate animals and children from the apartment. Close the windows tightly. When diluting the powder and processing, wear rubber gloves, protect your respiratory system with a respirator, and protect your eyes with goggles.
After finishing the disinfestation, close the apartment for an hour. When the specified time has passed, open the windows for half an hour for ventilation.
Prepare a soda ash solution by stirring a tablespoon of crystals in a liter of water. Wash the work surfaces with a cloth and wipe dry. Areas not in contact with food should not be cleaned to maintain the activity of the insecticide.

Arrange the dishes, return the household. Properly diluted powders protect your home from insects for 6-8 weeks. During this period, flies that fly into the apartment are doomed to quick death.

Agita: general information about the drug

The drug Agita is available in the form of a finely granulated beige powder. The product dissolves easily in water, forming a milky suspension. The composition of the drug is combined and contains two active components:

Thiamethoxam (10%). This chemical destroys flies, cockroaches and fleas both when they come into contact with the insect’s cover, and when they are “eaten” by the pest;
Z-9-tricosene (0.05%). This substance is the sex pheromone of flies. This component ensures that insects are attracted to areas treated with Agita solution.

The composition additionally includes other substances attractive to flies - lactose and sugar. The product is widely used to exterminate flies on various types of objects. Thus, the effectiveness of the drug is confirmed by agricultural farm workers. Such places are characterized by a concentration of flies, and it is necessary to combat them with drugs with low toxicity to animals. Read the article about the successful experience of using Agita against flies in a pig barn.

The drug is available in different forms:

Agita 10 is packaged in 100 g and 400 g in plastic jars with a volume of 240 ml and 900 ml, respectively.

This form is more suitable for use in agricultural and industrial facilities. Approximate cost: 600 rubles (100 g) and 1500 (400 g);

Agita 10 - packages with 25, 30 grams of the product.

Convenient format for home use. Approximate cost: 100–150 rubles.

The volume of the jar corresponds to how much water needs to be added to prepare the working solution

Sometimes there are names with the numbers 20 or 50 at the end. This means a higher percentage of insecticide in the preparation. Thus, Agita 50 is used in its pure form (without preparing a solution) as a bait for wasps.

Some manufacturers produce the drug in spray bottles.
You can buy Agita at a veterinary pharmacy, but it is faster to purchase a suitable volume at an affordable price from suppliers online.

Description

The appearance of the insecticide is a beige, odorless powder. The product is packaged in plastic jars of 400 and 100 grams, as well as bags of 25 and 12.5 grams. Each package contains instructions for Agita fly repellent. The name of the company that produces the insecticide is written on the cans and bags and the trademark is displayed.

Insect repellent is used not only in residential areas. It can be used in barns or poultry houses, basements or cellars. When there are large concentrations of flies and other insects, farmers often worry about the health of their animals. By purchasing Agita, owners of “livestock” can be sure that their “wards” will not be bothered by insects for a long time, since a large package of the product will be enough to ensure the treatment of the entire farm.

The active component of the product belongs to the group of neonicotinoids. The substance is called thiamethoxam. The drug also contains a means to attract flies – Muscalure. It also has another name - tricozene, which is a pheromone (a means of chemical communication for individuals of the same species) secreted by a housefly. In addition, the preparation contains sugar and lactose. Insects do not get used to the active ingredient, so the drug is always effective in the fight against them.

The action of the insecticide is the penetration of the poison into the digestive tract of the fly, where it has a detrimental effect

The insect then becomes paralyzed and dies within a few minutes. A maximum of 24 hours after using Agita, all insects are destroyed. The effect lasts up to eight weeks. However, this depends on the quality and method of application. When sprayed, the product is effective for no more than one and a half months.

Reviews about this drug are mostly positive

With proper treatment of the premises, taking into account precautions, people get rid of flying pests for a long time. The main advantage of the drug is its high efficiency and speed of chemical action.

The use of the product also becomes a big plus, since no heavy or complex manipulations are required when using it. As buyers note, the insecticide has only one drawback - it attracts excessive attention of pets to the drug itself.

Advantages and disadvantages of Agita

The drug relatively recently began to be used for household disinfestation. There are a number of reasons why Agita is gaining popularity among consumers:

Versatility. The drug is effective in the fight against flies, cockroaches, and fleas. It has a toxic effect on insects that have developed an addiction to traditional products based on organophosphorus compounds and pyrethroids.
Convenience. The ability to independently choose the processing method: you can spray or smear.
Fast action. The death of insects occurs within 3–5 minutes.
Safety. The drug has low toxicity and is classified as low-hazard.

The disadvantages of the drug include the following:

Large consumption of the drug.
Price. The product cannot be called a budget option.
The product is not ready for use immediately. It is necessary to calculate the proportions and mix.

For Agita to work, the fly must sit on the treated surface and try the “bait”

Using insecticide

The product is dissolved in water; to speed up its dissolution, it is desirable that it be warm. In this case, the solution must be used immediately. The finished mixture is only suitable for 12 hours. With every hour the liquid sits idle, its effectiveness decreases. Immediately before application, the product is thoroughly mixed. In this case, this action must be performed every 30 minutes. When using an insecticide, you should pay more attention to places where insects accumulate - these are window sills, pipes, window frames, doors and insulated walls.

Agita solution can be used in three ways:

Application with strokes. The product is mixed in a proportion of 80 milliliters of warm water and 100 grams of powder. Using a brush, stripes are applied to the surface. The volume of insecticide is usually enough for 40 square meters. If there is no suitable surface in the room, you can apply the mixture to cardboard or any other material. Then secure these strips around the perimeter of the room (on the ceiling or walls).
Spraying. For 100 grams of powder you will need 800 milliliters of slightly heated water. A small package is enough for 20 square meters. The ceiling and walls are sprayed with the solution.
Dry use. To do this, spread the powder on window sills and other surfaces. To make the product more effective, you can drop a little water on it.

If new flies appear or the premises are not sufficiently treated, the steps can be repeated.
Agita is a toxic agent, therefore, when using it, it is necessary to remove animals from the premises. In addition, children should also not be present during processing. All food and dishes are also hidden in the refrigerator and cabinets. It is advisable to cover the furniture with oilcloth so that insecticide particles do not get on it or, especially, inside.

How to use Agita correctly

Agita powder is diluted with warm water and mixed well before application. The working solution is applied by spraying or brushing. The table shows the proportions of the substance and water for different types of treatment.

Processing type	Amount of Agita powder 10, gr.	Amount of water, ml.	Strips 10x30 cm, pcs.	Square
Strokes	100	80	8	40 m2
Strokes	400	320	30	160 m2
Spraying	100	800	—	20 m2
Spraying	400	3200	—	80 m2

Pay attention to the following tips for using the drug Agita:

The prepared dab solution can be applied to interior items, walls and other surfaces.
Consider the fact that the composition, although low-toxic, is still an insecticide. Don't swab anything you come into contact with regularly.
The product will be less effective if applied to wood, plaster or other porous surfaces.
If you don’t want to leave traces of processing, make smears on cardboard or polyethylene and place them in the “favorite” places for flies. Better yet, hang it from the ceiling.
When choosing spraying treatment, spray the walls at the top (about 2 meters from the floor).
The active effect of the drug will end after 6 weeks. Thus, one treatment is enough for the season.

I always look at hanging sticky flycatchers with some disgust. Especially if there is no free space on them, and some insects continue to buzz, trying to escape. Running around the apartment with fly swatters is also not the best option, except perhaps to develop attention and reaction. Using Agita solution, you can make hanging baits (by spreading the product on cardboard), which will look much better than sticky tapes. Flies will land on such poisoned “platforms” due to the action of pheromones. And, most importantly, such traps will have to be updated infrequently - once every 1.5 months.

Instructions for use

The poison is used only in liquid form: the solution looks like a white suspension interspersed with beige. To dilute the product, take clean warm water and a disposable container for mixing. Processing is possible in two ways:

Using a sprayer (spray, aerosol can). Agita distributed over the surface in this way retains its insecticidal effect for 5 weeks.
Using brush strokes (a wide construction brush with artificial bristles will do). With this application method, the composition will remain operational for 7 weeks due to a thicker coating layer.

Depending on which processing method is chosen, 50 g of the drug is diluted in 40 ml of water. If the composition is applied in 4 strips 10 cm wide and 30 cm long, this amount will be enough to disinfest a room of 20 m2.

For spraying, the same amount of the drug is diluted in 400 ml of water, but only 10 m2 of surface can be treated. The required mass of the product is calculated based on the area of the room being treated: the larger the square footage, the multiple times the amount of product needs to be used.

It is recommended to use the finished solution within 1 hour, stirring occasionally during use to avoid separation of the suspension. The remaining mixture must not be discharged into the sewer system. Disposal is carried out far from agricultural lands, pastures and hunting grounds.

Safety precautions when working with the drug

The active substances in Agita powder do not cause any particular harm to human health. However, as when working with any chemical poisons, it is necessary to follow safety rules:

Before processing the room, you need to protect your skin and mucous membranes, and for this you should wear a gown, rubber gloves, sealed safety glasses and a respirator.
Hide all food, water and utensils so that the poison does not get on it.
Smoking, consumption of food and any liquid during treatment is prohibited.
After finishing the treatment, wash your hands and face with warm water and soap, and rinse your mouth.
All remnants of the drug that were not used during processing must be disposed of.
After the product expires, all treated surfaces are wiped with a solution of soda ash.
Treatment should not be carried out by persons under 18 years of age, pregnant and lactating women, or people with allergies.
Further use of the drug container is prohibited.

If the substance is accidentally ingested, drink activated carbon with plenty of water and contact a specialist.

Hazard Class

It is not recommended to use this product for treating surfaces intended for contact with food, feed, feeders and water bowls for animals, as well as directly with animals.
Do not spray Agita on dirty, porous or freshly whitened surfaces.
Sink and drain are not safe ways to dispose of the drug.
Poisoning is also possible if the product gets into the skin, mucous membranes or stomach during treatment.

“Agita” is a low-hazard drug, so side effects from its use are possible only if the dosage is violated.

Compound

The drug Agita is presented in the form of a powder consisting of small granules. The advantages include the fact that the product does not have an unpleasant odor. After carefully studying the instructions, the powder is diluted with water in the required proportions. The products are packaged in plastic containers.

The uniqueness of Agita lies in the fact that it uses two active components simultaneously: the sex pheromone of flies and the insecticide thiamethoxam. They complement each other perfectly, which allows you to achieve maximum effectiveness of the drug. There are also sugar and lactose, which are auxiliary components.

After mixing the powder with water, a foam with a beige tint is obtained.

Hazard Class

The insecticide Agita is able to please with a wide spectrum of action. The active components completely destroy not only flies. They actively fight cockroaches, fleas, mosquitoes, bedbugs, and ants. Within 24 hours after use, harmful insects will be completely destroyed. The product also has a long residual effect. You can be sure that the insects will not appear again for the next 5-8 weeks.

The insecticidal agent Agita belongs to drugs of hazard class 4. The working mixture, as well as its vapors, are considered a low-hazard compound. Thus, if the dosage and safety precautions are followed correctly, the active components are not capable of causing harm to human health. The product can be used both to combat insects and to prevent their occurrence.

Personal prevention measures

Studies of the degree of impact on the human body allow us to classify this drug as hazard class 4 (low-hazardous substances), which means that in the concentration recommended for use, it does not cause sensitizing and locally irritating effects.

Important! The drug is highly toxic to bees and fish, and therefore its use in fisheries and apiary areas is not recommended.

However, when working with it, it is still necessary to take personal precautions, namely, wear individual protective gowns, gloves, goggles and individual masks or respirators. During the production and use of the Agita working solution, it is necessary to avoid contact of the solution itself or granules with the mucous membrane of the eyes, mouth, open skin and respiratory organs

It is prohibited to eat, smoke or drink during this time. After completing the work, you must thoroughly wash your hands under running water and rinse your mouth. If you spilled granules, you need to remove them with a broom and wash the area thoroughly, first moistening it with plenty of water.

During the production and use of the Agita working solution, it is necessary to avoid contact of the solution itself or granules with the mucous membrane of the eyes, mouth, open skin and respiratory organs. It is prohibited to eat, smoke or drink during this time.

After completing the work, you must thoroughly wash your hands under running water and rinse your mouth. If you spilled granules, you need to remove them with a broom and wash the area thoroughly, after moistening it with plenty of water.

If a solution of the drug or its granules enters a person’s respiratory tract, it must be immediately taken out into the open and, if symptoms of irritation are present, seek medical help.

If the drug gets on an open area of skin, wash the area thoroughly under running water and soap. If the solution gets on the mucous membrane of the eyes or mouth, rinse the area thoroughly under running water for several minutes.

The solution remaining after treating the premises must be disposed of away from cattle grazing areas and water sources. Containers containing the substance are prohibited from being used for household purposes; they must be disposed of along with other household waste.

Contraindications

There are no side effects when using the drug correctly and following safety rules.

It is contraindicated to disinfest flies with Agita in the following cases:

age under 18 years;
people with allergies;
for respiratory diseases;
Do not treat surfaces where human hands or animals will come into contact.

It is contraindicated to work with a toxic substance without personal protective equipment.

Contraindications

Personal safety precautions when using

There are also certain rules for working with such a drug, which should be followed by anyone who undertakes to treat a room against flies with Agita. The safety measures are as follows:

Persons under 18 years of age should not be allowed to treat premises with such a preparation.
For allergy sufferers, it is better not to touch the drug at all.
You cannot smoke, drink strong drinks or eat food in the room where the treatment is being carried out.
The disinfector must wear a robe or a special suit, goggles, latex gloves, a mask, a hat and work safety shoes.
After carrying out work, be sure to wash your hands and face with soap three times, despite the fact that they were protected.
Containers with residual substances are disposed of with household waste.

Where granules accidentally spilled, they should be swept into a bag, and the area where they were washed should be washed with plain water. All remnants of the finished solution are disposed of in places specially designated for chemical emissions, away from fish, bees and the natural environment, places for walking pets, livestock, sanitary zones, nature reserves, and places of human residence.

Other insects

Getting rid of wasps is very easy. To combat them, dry granules are used, which are placed on bait surfaces. They must be made from food materials according to the same scheme as for flies: per 10 square meters. m you need to build 3-5 baits, weighing up to 2 g each. Before setting traps, you need to choose the right location. Wasps should not fall into dishes and food. Do not forget about the corners and crevices in buildings through which these insects can penetrate.

To neutralize and expel mosquitoes, you need to prepare a solution with a 4% concentration and treat the places that are in demand among them. Most often they live in places where rays of light fall (windows, lampshades, lamps). For every sq. m you need to take 50 ml of the prepared solution. It should be prepared in the same way as for flies or wasps: mix the suspension until a homogeneous solution is obtained. It is impossible to predict when mosquitoes will appear again, so you need to irrigate the area as needed. There is no exact schedule for when to poison mosquitoes.

To get rid of fleas, you need to use an aqueous solution from Agita. The surface of the walls, floor, and gaps should be treated. Fleas live in carpets and walkways, so these also need to be treated carefully.

To inoculate such insects, a solution with a concentration of 0.8% is used. For every sq. m consume 50 ml of the prepared suspension. The treatment scheme is the same and does not depend on the location of irrigation.

The drug successfully fights the red ant and other species of this insect. The destructive concentration for it is the same as for a mosquito, so you need to prepare a 0.8% aqueous insecticidal solution. Most often, the floor surface and cracks from which ants may appear are treated with the solution. For every sq. m will need a quarter glass of poison.

You can also kill the ant using the dry version. To create a trap, non-food material is used.