Enhanced formulations, compositions and methods for pest control

Abstract

Formulations of pesticides are disclosed, specifically pesticidal blends of essential oils and other ingredients, that have been found to enhance the activity of the active pesticidal ingredients. The formulations may be, for example, emulsions or dust formulations. For example, a composition for controlling a target pest is disclosed that comprises at least one active agent and a formulation agent, wherein: the active agent is capable of interacting with a receptor in the target pest; the active agent has a first activity against the target pest when applied without the formulation agent and the composition has as a second activity against the target pest; and the second activity is greater than the first activity.

1 . A composition for controlling a target pest comprising at least one active agent and a formulation agent, wherein:
 the composition is not in the form of a microemulsion;   the active agent is capable of interacting with a receptor in the target pest;   the active agent has a first activity against the target pest when applied without the formulation agent and the composition has a second activity against the target pest; and   the second activity is greater than the first activity.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second activities are quantified by measuring concentration of the active agent effective to control the target pest, and a concentration corresponding to the first activity is higher than a concentration corresponding to the second activity. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second activities are quantified by measuring a disablement effect on the target pest at a standard concentration of active agent, and the composition exhibits a greater disablement effect than the active agent applied without the active agent. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the first activity persists for a first period, the second activity persists for a second period, and the second period is longer than the first period. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the active agent comprises a synergistic combination of at least two receptor ligands. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the second activity reflects a synergistic interaction of the active agent and the formulation agent. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the formulation agent is an emulsifier. 
     
     
         8 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition forms a dust. 
     
     
         11 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the target pest is selected from the group consisting of a fungus, a plant, an animal, a moneran, and a protist. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the target pest is an arthropod species. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 14 , wherein the arthropod is an insect, an arachnid, or an arachnoid. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the receptor is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the GPCR is a receptor of the insect olfactory cascade. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the receptor is selected from a tyramine receptor, an olfactory receptor Or43a, and an olfactory receptor Or83b. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the receptor is an octopamine receptor. 
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein binding of the receptor by an ingredient of the composition results in a change in intracellular level of cAMP, Ca +  or both, and wherein the change is sufficient to permit control of the target pest. 
     
     
         21 . The composition of  claim 1 , comprising: at least two active ingredients and a formulation agent. 
     
     
         22 . The composition of  claim 21 , for controlling pests, comprising a blend of at least two active ingredients and a formulation agent, wherein the composition is not in the form of a microemulsion, and wherein the composition exhibits a pest control effect that is greater than the sum of the pest control effects of the at least two active ingredients and the formulation agent when applied individually to the pest. 
     
     
         23 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . The composition of  claim 21 , wherein the formulation agent microencapsulates at least one of the active ingredients. 
     
     
         34 . The composition of  claim 33 , wherein the formulation agent is selected from the group consisting of shellac, zein, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         35 . The composition of  claim 21 , wherein the composition takes a form selected from the group consisting of: a grain bait, a liquid, a powder, a block bait, a briquette, a bait concentrate, a capsule suspension for seed treatment, and encapsulated granule, a contact liquid, a contact gel, a contact powder, a capsule suspension, a dispersible concentrate, a powder for dry seed treatment, a tablet for direct application, an electrochargeable liquid, an emulsifiable granule, a water-in-oil emulsion, a smoke tin, a fine granule (300-2500 microns), a smoke candle, a smoke cartridge, a smoke rodlet, a flowable concentrate for seed treatment, a smoke tablet, a smoke generator, a smoke pellet, a gas, granular bait, a gas generating product, a gel for seed treatment, a macrogranule (2000-6000 microns), an emulsifiable gel, very fine flo-dust for use in greenhouses, a grease, a water soluble gel, a hot fogging concentrate, a combi-pack of solid and liquid, a combi-pack of liquid and liquid, a cold fogging concentrate, a combi-pack of solid and solid, a lacquer, a solution for seed treatment, a liquid vaporiser, a mosquito coil, a microemulsion, a microgranule (100-600 microns), a vaporising mat, an oil dispersion, an oil miscible flowable concentrate, and oil miscible suspension, an oil miscible liquid, an oil dispersible powder, a water based film-forming paste, plate bait, a gel or paste concentrate, a pour-on, a plant rodlet, a seed coated with a pesticide, ready to use bait, spot-on, scrap bait, a suspension concentrate, a suspension concentrate for direct application, a suspo-emulsion, water soluble granules, a soluble concentrate, a spreading oil applied as large drops to water surface, a water soluble powder, a water soluble powder for seed treatment, a water soluble tablet, an ultra-low volume suspension, a tablet, a technical material, a technical concentrate, a tracking powder, an ultra-low volume liquid, a vapor releasing product, water dispersible granules, a wettable powder, a water dispersible powder for slurry seed treatment, a water dispersible tablet, and a mixed formulation of any two or more of the above. 
     
     
         36 . A method of pest control, comprising:
 providing an effective amount of the composition of  claim 1 ; and   contacting a pest with the composition, wherein the contacting results in synergistic pest control.