How can Steward® control tarnished plant bug and cotton fleahopper, yet be safe to sucking predaceous bugs like bigeyed bug and minute pirate bug?
A. The insecticidal activity of Steward® on target pests is the result of ingestion and contact. Once inside the insect, indoxacarb must be bioactivated into its active form to cause mortality. Predators and parisitoids exposed to a dried residual are not impacted because they do not ingest material; tarsal contact restricts the movement of the compound into the insect; and predators and parasitoids are usually less efficient at bioactivating indoxacarb into its active molecule compared to lepidopteran larvae. Some beneficial insects whose behavior allows them to be exposed to indoxacarb by piercing and feeding on treated foliage or to a direct spray at highest labeled rates may be affected, but populations rapidly recover since there are many unexposed individuals. The keys to beneficial insect management with Steward® or any insecticide include scouting, and applications timed early in the pest cycle to reduce the need for multiple applications.
