Borate Insecticides: Proven Active Ingredients to Include in Your Toolbox

There are many different active ingredients used in various insecticide products, some being naturally derived and many being synthetically produced from chemical alterations. Over the years, active ingredients have come and gone, but one has been tried and true for over 70 years.  Boric acid was first registered as a pesticide in the US back in 1948. Borate insecticides have proven efficacy against a variety of insects and are an ideal active ingredient in baits and dusts.  Borate insecticides offer several advantages, making them a great addition to your toolbox.

Boric Acid vs Borax

Borax and boric acid are both naturally-occurring compounds composed of boron. Though similar, they are different. Borax, also known as sodium tetraborate decahydrate, is also composed of sodium and oxygen, and it can be mined from the ground or collected from evaporite deposits. Boric acid, or orthoboric acid, is composed of oxygen and hydrogen. It is formed when borax is combined with a mineral acid. There are also traces of boric acid in salt water, plants, and soil. Both compounds are found as a white, odorless powder, but borax can also be found in a white crystalized state.

How Borates Work to Control Pests

Borates are effective against pests, which is why they are found in different types of insecticides including liquid baits, granular baits, gel baits, and dusts. Borate insecticides work as a stomach poison and as a desiccant. When ingested, they disrupt the digestive system of pests, causing them to die. Borate dusts stick to pests when they walk through it. When pests, like cockroaches, groom themselves, they ingest it. Borate dusts are also abrasive and weaken the exoskeleton of pests, leading to their death. The key to the performance of boric acid baits is the blend of food attractants used in the bait matrix to attract the target insects.

Advantages of Borate Insecticides

Insecticides formulated with boric acid, like our line of InTice baits and our BorActin insecticide powder, offer several advantages including high efficacy against pests, non-repellency, low-toxicity, and broad labels.

• Highly Effective: Borate insecticides are very effective against a variety of crawling insect pests including ants, cockroaches, crickets, earwigs, silverfish, millipedes, sowbugs, pillbugs, snails, and slugs.
• Long-Lasting Residual: The boric acid active will not break down in heat or UV light.
• Non-Repellent: Borate baits are non-repellent, so pests will not avoid the bait. This will help to ensure pests consume the bait and return to the nest. Borate dusts are also non-repellent when applied per label instructions. Since pests cannot detect the dust, crawling insects will walk through it, causing the dust to stick to them.
• Low-Toxicity: Though borate insecticides are toxic to insects, they have low-toxicity for humans and non-insect animals. Rockwell’s borate insecticides are suitable for green service programs.
• Broad Label: Borate insecticides have a broad label and many can be used indoors, including in food areas, and outdoors. This versatility will allow you to easily target the areas where pests are most likely to harbor.
• Versatility: Boric acid based insecticides can be produced in a wide variety of formulations – as a liquid, gel, granule, dust, wettable powder or bait.

How to Effectively Use Borate Insecticides

It is important to ensure that your use of borate insecticides is effective. Using the right amount of the product and applying it properly will help you get the best results.  

• Use the Correct Amount: Follow the application rates on product labels. Applying too little or too much of the product can affect the efficacy. For borate dust applications, you do not want to overapply the product. A fine layer of dust is all that is needed to allow the pests to easily crawl through it.
• Proper Application: Follow the Directions for Use on the product label of the product being applied. In general, apply borate insecticides to areas where pests are active and places where they are likely to harbor including in cracks, crevices, and voids. For ant bait applications, you will want to locate the trail that the ants are following. Placing the bait close to these trails will provide the most effective results. Make sure all applications are in areas inaccessible to children and pets.

Rockwell’s Borate Insecticides

Rockwell has several borate insecticides that are effective against pests and suitable for green service programs. Our products formulated with borax or boric acid include:  

InTice Gelanimo Ant Bait 

InTice Gelanimo ant bait contains 3% borax and utilizes the patented “rigid hydro-gel” technology. It kills common household ants except carpenter, fire, and harvester ants. Its high moisture content gives it a consistency similar to gelatin, allowing ants to feed without drowning in the bait. Ants can easily cut and carry pieces back to the nest. As the bait spreads throughout the nest, the colony will be eliminated. InTice Gelanimo remains stable at temperatures up to 130° F, so the bait will not become sticky or gooey. It is available in .25 oz ready-to-use stations, 35 g syringes, and 4 oz cups.

InTice Thiquid Ant Bait

InTice Thiquid ant bait is formulated with 5% borax and a blend of premium food ingredients, making it highly palatable to ants. Its thick syrup formula stays where it is applied and will not run on flat surfaces. It attracts and kills common household ants except carpenter, fire, and harvester ants. It is formulated to allow ants to consume the bait and carry it back to the nest to share with the rest of the colony. For very large multi-queen and multi-colony infestations, the 5% borax formula may be diluted to 2.5% or 1%.

InTice 10 Perimeter Bait

InTice 10 perimeter bait is a non-repellent 10% boric acid granular bait. It is highly effective against a broad spectrum of pests. Its proprietary bait matrix contains a blend of premium food attractants including protein, carbohydrates, and oils. InTice 10 is moisture resistant and does not break down from heat or UV light. As the granules are exposed to water, the 10% maintains a higher amount of boric acid over time compared to a 5% boric acid bait. The outdoor application rate is only 1 lb per 1000 sq ft. InTice 10 is long-lasting, remaining effective for up to 90 days outdoors.

BorActin Insecticide Powder

BorActin insecticide powder is a superfine, non-clumping, boric acid dust. It controls a wide range of crawling insects including cockroaches, palmetto bugs, water bugs, ants (except carpenter ants), silverfish, and darkling beetles. BorActin kills pests when they ingest it. It is precision-milled using pharmaceutical grade equipment for superior dustability. This superfine dust also has an excellent ability to stick on an insect’s body when they are crawling across it. BorActin is non-repellent and long-lasting, remaining active until it is removed. It is moisture resistant and will not break down in heat or UV light. Though most effective when used as a dust, it can also be applied as a liquid spray, foam, or mop solution.

When dealing with pest infestations, there are many insecticides available. It is important to choose a product with the right active ingredient. With their proven efficacy, borate insecticides are a great option for controlling a wide range of pests. Whether you’re looking for a bait or a dust, Rockwell Labs has several borate insecticides available to help you meet the varying needs of your customers.