AU2003255036A1 - Method of attracting termites - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

(ORIGINAL)

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Invention Title: Warwick Madden Warwick Madden DAVIES COLLISON CAVE, Patent Attorneys, 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000.

"Method of attracting termites" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: P.OPERUC'uII Speciflion sU ractdng 'mita doc-17L O3 -1- METHOD OF ATTRACTING TERMITES The present invention provides a method for attracting termites, a composition for attracting termites and devices for containing and using the composition.

The present invention provides a method of charging or supplementing a termite bait station comprising: providing a bait station having a body comprising one or more inner wall surfaces are defining a cavity; an outer wall surface and wherein the body defines at least one opening to the cavity from the outside wall surface; providing a wet flowable composition comprising a termite food and substantially nonrepellent, termiticidally effective amount of a termiticide; and applying into the cavity the composition.

Normally, the composition will be in the form of a paste or gel. It is preferably of a form that may be compressed and forced from a tube through an aperture in the tube, in the sense that caulk is applied.

Generally the composition is from 10 to 70% by weight in water. It has a density of from 1.2 g/cm 3 to 3 g/cm 3 when applied. The composition also may optionally have such formulation additives, carriers, and adjuvants to further advance the aims of the invention that are known to the person of skill in the art.

Generally the termite food is a cellulose based-food. Preferably the termite food is a flowable, particulate solid before it is wetted. By the term wetted is meant that the termite food will absorb water to greater than 80% of its water absorbing capacity within minutes after being treated with water.

The termiticide is generally non-repellent to termites. Suitable termiticides include a benzoylurea insecticide, a phenylpyrazole insecticide, phenylpyrrole insecticide or phenyl imidazole insecticide, an agonist or antagonist of the nicotinergic acetylcholine PPERV8CTp II SpccitkadiduitA7l1twg itg W-/tr3 -2receptor of an insect. Such termiticides are known to those of skill in the art such as those in US patents 4607044, 4833151, 5142064, 4742060 and 5232940 and are herein incorporated by reference and relied upon.

The amount of the termiticide varies by the termiticide used. However it is generally less than 1% by weight of the composition, and usually less than or equal to of the composition. The termiticide is used in such amounts that a colony of termites feeding on a 0.1 to 1 kg sample will not die within one day from the onset of feeding, preferably three days, preferably 7 days, more preferably within 2 weeks. Most preferably the colony will die within about 2 to 4 weeks after the onset of feeding.

Suitable bait stations include any that are known to the person of skill in the art.

Preferred bait stations include those described in WO 93/23998 and US Patent 5950356 which are incorporated herein by reference and relied upon.

The present invention also provides a composition comprising water, a termicidally effective amount of a substantially non-repellent termiticide and a termite food.

The present invention also provides a product formed by the process of admixing the termiticide with the termite food and admixing the resulting composition with water to form the product.

Example 1 Microcrystalline cellulose is mixed with triflumuron to provide a 0.5% by weight mixture of triflumuron in microcrystalline cellulose. The resulting material is mixed with water to provide a composition which is approximately 50% water by weight.

Example 2 A Sentricon® termite monitoring and control station (Dow Sentricon, Australia) is provided and installed according to manufacturer's instructions. The original baiting material is allowed to attract termites for one month.

P.V PER'Ji\uII SpciflCAiol'Aoin.ctlit Imniaii d-1oc-7/IG03 -3- At the end of one month, the lid of the station is removed and the composition according to Example 1 is placed around the baiting materials originally installed in the station. The termites in the station are substantially undisturbed.

The lid of the station is replaced.

Example 3 A Sentricon® termite monitoring and control station (Dow Sentricon, Australia) is provided and installed according to manufacturer's instructions. The composition of Example 1 is placed in the cavity.

After one month, the lid is removed and the contents are inspected. The composition of Example 1 is placed in the cavity again.

Example 4 A Sentricon® termite monitoring and control station (Dow Sentricon, Australia) is provided and installed according to manufacturer's instructions. The composition of Example 1 is placed in the cavity along with the original baiting material.

After one month, the lid is removed and the contents are inspected. The composition of Example 1 is placed in the cavity again.

Example A hole is dug beside a wooden structure infested with termites. The composition of Example I is placed in the hole and covered with dirt. After one month, the bait has been consumed and the tree is free of termites.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group P.'OPERIgc\FJ2c SpccicAmnvawctinIj mini teC.I110103 -4of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

Claims (2)

1. A method of charging or supplementing a termite bait station comprising: providing a bait station having a body comprising one or more inner wall surfaces are defining a cavity; an outer wall surface and wherein the body defines at least one opening to the cavity from the outside wall surface; providing a wet flowable composition comprising a termite food and substantially nonrepellent, termiticidally effective amount of a termicide; and applying into the cavity the composition.

2. A composition comprising water, a termicidally effective amount of a substantially non-repellent termiticide and a termite food as substantially described herein. DATED this 17 th day of October, 2003 Warwick Madden by DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys for the Applicant