MOULDED ARTICLE FOR COMBATING VARROA MITES

Abstract

The present invention relates to shaped articles which are suitable for controlling Varroa mites in bees.

Claims

1. A solid shaped article based on a polyvinyl chloride matrix containing 0.1 to 30% by weight of an acaricidal active substance; 1 to 30% by weight of propylene glycol dicaprylate/dicaprate; and 7 to 22% by weight of di-n-butyl adipate, wherein the solid shaped article has a thickness from 0.5 to 20 mm and comprises openings with a diameter of 6-9 mm

2. The solid shaped article according to claim 1, wherein the active substance is selected from the group consisting of cymiazole, etoxazole, fluvalinate, flumethrin, coumaphos and amitraz.

3. The solid shaped article according to claim 1, wherein the active substance is flumethrin.

4. The solid shaped article according to claim 3, comprising 0.1 to 5% by weight of flumethrin.

5. The solid shaped article according to claim 1, wherein the active substance is coumaphos.

6. The solid shaped article according to claim 5, comprising 6 to 12% by weight of coumaphos.

7. The solid shaped article according to claim 1, wherein the active substance is amitraz.

8. The solid shaped article according to claim 7, comprising 1 to 10% by weight of amitraz.

9. The solid shaped article according to claim 1, comprising 7 to 25% by weight of propylene glycol dicaprylate/dicaprate.

10. The solid shaped article according to claim 1, wherein the solid shaped article comprises 10 to 100 openings.

11. The solid shaped article according to claim 1, further comprising, by weight, up to 3% stearic acid, and 1-3% epoxidized soya oil.

12. A beehive comprising a solid shaped article according to claim 1.

13. A method for controlling mites on bees comprising fitting a solid shaped article to an entrance of a beehive, wherein the solid shaped article comprises a polyvinylchloride matrix; 0.1 to 30% by weight of an acaricidal active substance; 1 to 30% by weight of propylene glycol dicaprylate/dicaprate; and 7 to 22% by weight of di-n-butyl adipate, wherein the solid shaped article has a thickness from 0.5 to 20 mm and comprises openings with a diameter of 6-9 mm wherein the mites are controlled without harming the bees.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the active substance is selected from the group consisting of cymiazole, etoxazole, fluvalinate, flumethrin, coumaphos and amitraz.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the active substance is flumethrin.

16. The method according to claim 15, comprising 0.1 to 5% by weight of flumethrin.

17. The method according to claim 16, comprising 0.5 to 2.5% by weight of flumethrin.

18. The method according to claim 13, comprising 7 to 25% by weight of propylene glycol dicaprylate/dicaprate.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein the solid shaped article comprises 10 to 100 openings.

20. The method according to claim 13, wherein the solid shaped article further comprises, by weight, up to 3% stearic acid, and 1-3% epoxidized soya oil.

Description

EXAMPLES

Example 1

[0058] Composition:

TABLE-US-00001 Flumethrin 2.5% by weight Di-n-butyl adipate 8.9% by weight Propylene glycol octanoate decanoate (Miglyol 840) 20% by weight Epoxidized soya oil 1.1% by weight Stearic acid 2% by weight PVC 64.5% by weight Titanium dioxide 1% by weight

[0059] Preparation:

[0060] In a mixer, the mixture of titanium dioxide and PVC is mixed with the mixture of di-n-butyl adipate, propylene glycol octanoate decanoate, epoxidized soya oil and flumethrin. Mixing is continued with exposure to heat until the mixture is homogeneous. Heating promotes the migration of the active substance/plasticizer mixture into the PVC. After the subsequent homogeneous distribution of the stearic acid, the mixture can be processed with methods known per se to give shaped articles in the desired thickness.

[0061] Shaped articles which are suitable for use in beehives were prepared. These shaped articles have the following dimensions:

[0062] Length: 15 cm, width: 3 cm, thickness: 2 mm.

[0063] The shaped articles include 15 openings, each with a diameter of 7 mm.

Example 2

[0064] Composition:

TABLE-US-00002 Coumaphos 7.5% by weight Di-n-butyl adipate 8.9% by weight Propylene glycol octanoate decanoate (Miglyol 840) 20% by weight Epoxidized soya oil 1.1% by weight Stearic acid 2% by weight PVC 59.5% by weight Titanium dioxide 1% by weight

[0065] In a mixer, the mixure of titanium dioxide, PVC and coumaphos is mixed with the mixture of di-n-butyl adipate, propylene glycol octanoate decanoate and epoxidized soya oil. Mixing is continued with exposure to heat until the mixture is homogeneous. Heating promotes the migration of the active substance/plasticizer mixture into the PVC. After the subsequent homogeneous distribution of the stearic acid, the mixture can be processed with methods known per se to give shaped articles in the desired thickness.

[0066] Shaped articles which are suitable for use in beehives were prepared. These shaped articles have the following dimensions:

[0067] Length: 15 cm, width: 3 cm, thickness: 2 mm.

[0068] The shaped articles include 15 openings, each with a diameter of 7 mm.

Examples 3 to 16

[0069] Further compositions which are suitable for the preparation of solid shaped articles according to the invention are specified in the table hereinbelow as Examples 3 to 12 and 14 to 16. Example 13 is a placebo formulation.

TABLE-US-00003 Ex. No. Constituents 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Flumethrin 2.6 2.1 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.5 2.5 Propylene glycol octanoate decanoate 20.0 24.3 15.0 20.0 15.0 10.0 10.0 15.0 Di-n-butyl adipate 8.9 0 20.0 10.0 10.0 20.0 20.0 20.0 Epoxidized soya oil 1.1 1.3 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 Stearic acid 2.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 Titanium dioxide 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 Iron oxide pigments 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.08 PVC q.s. q.s. q.s. q.s. q.s. q.s. q.s. q.s. Ex. No. Constituent 11 12 13 14 15 16 Flumethrin 2.5 2.5 — 5.0 4.0 3.0 Propylene glycol octanoate decanoate 20.0 15.0 10.2 20.0 20.0 20.0 Di-n-butyl adipate 10.0 10.0 20.4 8.9 8.9 8.9 Epoxidized soya oil 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.1 1.1 1.1 Stearic acid 1.0 1.0 1.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 Titanium dioxide 0.05 0.05 0.05 1.0 1.0 1.0 Iron oxide pigments 0.08 0.08 0.08 — — — PVC q.s. q.s. q.s. q.s. q.s. q.s. (In the tables, the amounts of constituent are specified in % by weight)

[0070] The compositions of Examples 3 to 16 can be prepared analogously to the composition of Example 1. Alternatively, PVC, titanium dioxide and iron oxide pigments may be mixed with heating (60° C.), and then a solution of the remaining constituents, with the exception of stearic acid, is prepared and admixed to the warm PVC/pigment mixture. Finally, stearic acid is also added with further stirring and heating, and a homogeneous composition is prepared which, after cooling, can be processed further.

[0071] The finished compositions can be used for preparing solid shaped articles according to the invention, for example as specified in Example 1.

Biological Example

Example A

[0072] To assess the efficacy of flumethrin-containing active-substance supports (shaped articles) according to the invention, made of PVC, at the entrance of beehives, on 6 Apr. 2012, 12 reproducing bee colonies in Zander beehives were provided with in each case 2 approximately 15 cm long, approximately 2.5 cm wide and approximately 2 mm thick active-substance supports which were provided with 30 openings of diameter 7 mm and which were positioned at the entrance in such a way that the bees could leave, or return to, the beehive exclusively through the openings of the active-substance supports. In each case 3 colonies received active-substance supports with a flumethrin content of 3%, 4% and 5%, respectively (Ex. 16, 15 and 14, respectively). Three bee colonies acted as control colonies and were equipped with active-substance-free supports. Between 6 April and 2 May, the dead mites were recorded daily with the aid of insertions which covered all of the hive bottom below the hive's honeycomb seat and which was only covered by a metal grid through which dropping mites, but not honeybees, were able to pass.

[0073] The entire mite death rate recorded for the various treatment groups and colonies is compiled in Table 1 hereinbelow. The lines designated A, B and C contain the efficacies in per cent for in each case one bee colony (n Varroa). The mite death rate's course over the observation period is shown for selected colonies in the graphic representation (FIG. 1) (owing to the low total death rate in the 3% group, a graphic representation was dispensed with). The data support the Varroacidal effect of the bee colonies' treatment with the flumethrin-containing active-substance support.

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 1 Placebo 5% Flu 4% Flu 3% Flu A 0 (11) 100 (3) 66.67 (3) 90 (10) B 50 (4) 100 (49) 98.97 (194) 100 (2) C 10.41 (50) 100 (7) 90 (10) 100 (3)