Permethrin is an effective insecticide that kills a wide range of pests, including mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, ants, and agricultural pests. However, its effectiveness may vary depending on the insect species and their level of exposure. Toxic exposure can cause symptoms such as convulsion, hyperaesthesia, hyperthermia, hypersalivation, and loss of balance and coordination. Permethrin is more toxic to insects than to people and dogs, and it can cause muscle spasms, paralysis, and death in insects.
Products with permethrin commonly contain piperonyl butoxide (PBO), which increases the permethrin’s ability to control insects. It is toxic to honey bees, other beneficial insects, fish, aquatic insects, crayfish, and shrimp. For many species, concentrations of less than one part per billion are lethal. Permethrin chemically resembles the naturally occurring botanical pyrethrins found in certain chrysanthemums, except pyrethroids such as permethrin are more toxic to pest than the pyrethrins and have a longer residual persistence.
Permethrin is minimally toxic to humans and most mammals when used as directed and breaks down rapidly in the environment, especially when exposed to direct sunlight. However, its use is controversial because it can harm beneficial insects, cats, and aquatic life. Permethrin affects the nervous system of insects, leading to paralysis and eventual death.
The compound is highly toxic to invertebrates, including honeybees and other beneficial insects. It acts by interfering with the nervous system of insects, leading to paralysis and eventual death. Permethrin is effective against both adult Pyrethrins and pyrethroids, which bind to sodium channels on nerves, causing them to remain open and repetitively fire. In insects, this causes paralysis and death.
Permethrin is extremely toxic to cats and aquatic creatures, and some bedbugs and ticks are becoming resistant to it. Ticks are best treated with permethrin, as it kills virtually all insects, including those that have the greatest impact on travelers.
| Article | Description | Site |
|---|---|---|
| Permethrin General Fact Sheet | Permethrin affects the nervous system in insects, causing muscle spasms, paralysis and death. Permethrin is more toxic to insects than it is to people and dogs. | npic.orst.edu |
| Permethrin | Its use is controversial because, as a broad-spectrum chemical, it kills indiscriminately; as well as the intended pests, it can harm beneficial insects, … | en.wikipedia.org |
| Permethrin Technical Fact Sheet | Permethrin is highly toxic to invertebrates, including honey bees and other beneficial insects. The topical LC50 for honeybees is 0.029 μg/bee. | npic.orst.edu |
📹 A Brief History of Permethrin: Where it Comes from and How it Works
Learn about the history and effectiveness of permethrin, a synthetic pyrethroid used for insect control for over 40 years. Permethrin …
How Often Does Permethrin Fail?
Permethrin, a common treatment for scabies, has an anticipated response rate exceeding 90% after a single application, with efficacy often improved by a second treatment. The compound can persist in soil and sediments but degrades over time through microbial activity and sunlight. Permethrin is typically sprayed in early mornings or evenings to minimize contact with foraging bees. Immediate relief post-application may not be experienced, as it takes 48-72 hours for the treatment to eliminate mites.
Despite an increase in permethrin dispensing, scabies rates continue to rise, indicating potential treatment failures. If initial treatments fail, it is necessary to consult a doctor for alternative therapies. For head lice resistant to permethrin, applying a 5% cream overnight has shown success. While one application generally eradicates mites and eggs, a second treatment may be required for newly hatched mites. In flea control, reapplication of permethrin insecticides every 14 days is suggested until signs of fleas disappear.
A study showed cure rates of 95% after four weeks for different treatment groups, with 98% reported efficacy when using two permethrin applications seven days apart. The overall treatment failure prevalence for permethrin has increased over the years, prompting concerns about resistance due to genetic mutations in mites. Despite well-established treatment guidelines, failures are frequently noted. If symptoms persist after treatment, a repeat application within 7 to 14 days is recommended. Overall, while permethrin is effective and well-tolerated, its efficacy is challenged by rising resistance and treatment failures.
What Insects Are Killed By Permethrin?
Permethrin is a potent insecticide effective against a wide range of pests such as fleas, ticks, cockroaches, flies, and mosquitoes. Often combined with piperonyl butoxide (PBO), which enhances its insecticidal efficacy, permethrin disrupts the nervous system of insects, leading to paralysis and death. It is particularly effective against agricultural pests like beetles, caterpillars, aphids, and mites.
Among these, aphids are notorious for their damage to plants, as they can transmit diseases. Moreover, permethrin is significant in controlling disease-carrying mosquitoes, which transmit illnesses like malaria and Zika virus.
Permethrin is a synthetic chemical that is also used to eliminate lice and scabies in humans and pets, targeting infestations that may dwell within their fur or skin. The chemical can penetrate insect systems through ingestion or contact, functioning both as a stomach poison and a contact killer. While permethrin has a lethal effect on a broad spectrum of pests—from ants to moths—it also poses toxicity risks to beneficial insects like honey bees, fish, and other aquatic organisms.
Permethrin's dual action—affecting the nervous system of pests and quickly incapacitating them—makes it an essential tool for pest control. Its systemic use can help maintain healthier environments in agriculture and personal spaces alike. However, users should exercise caution due to its heightened toxicity to non-target species.
Is Permethrin A Carcinogenic Insecticide?
Currently, there are no publicly available studies addressing the carcinogenicity of permethrin-containing insecticides. However, two potential molecular mechanisms have been proposed. Firstly, permethrin may inhibit an enzyme responsible for the breakdown of tryptophan, which could imply a role in carcinogenicity. As a synthetic insecticide from the pyrethroid family, permethrin mimics natural compounds derived from the chrysanthemum flower and is widely used for pest control, including in public health mosquito programs.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified permethrin as "likely to be carcinogenic to humans" through oral exposure based on laboratory studies revealing the presence of benign tumors in the lungs and liver of rodents. Nonetheless, the classification by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) was "Group 3," indicating insufficient evidence to classify it as a carcinogen in humans. Comprehensive data on human cancer risk information related to permethrin exposure remains limited, with animal studies suggesting potential carcinogenic effects.
While permethrin is not associated with significant genotoxicity or immunotoxicity in humans and livestock, it may cause liver enlargement and nervous system issues. In summary, although evidence regarding permethrin's carcinogenicity remains inconclusive, the EPA has concluded that it poses a weak carcinogenic risk based on findings in animal studies, particularly regarding benign tumors in mice and rats. Overall, current evidence does not support a definitive risk of cancer in humans associated with permethrin exposure.
How Toxic Is Permethrin To Bees?
Permethrin is highly toxic to bees. Spraying is scheduled between 9 p. m. and 5 a. m., a time when bees are expected to be in their hives. Despite this, beekeepers are advised to take protective measures for their colonies during these nights. As a pyrethroid insecticide, permethrin mimics natural compounds found in chrysanthemum flowers and is widely used for insect control, including in public health mosquito management. The EPA prohibits toxic pesticide use during pollination, urging users to check product labels for toxicity levels, with caution against those lower than 11 micrograms.
Permethrin poses low toxicity risks for eye irritation and very low risks for skin irritation. Other commonly found pesticides that are also toxic to bees include Orthene (Acephate), Seven (Carbaryl), Diazinon (Spectracide), and Bayer systemic (Imidacloprid), which can disrupt bee navigation through pollen contamination. Furthermore, permethrin and other pyrethroids have proven particularly harmful when bees come into direct contact with treated areas during bloom.
While permethrin's use in mosquito control does not significantly endanger wildlife or the environment, it remains detrimental to non-target insects, including beneficial species. Despite claims of low risk to birds, aerosolized products may contain harmful ingredients. Studies indicate a very low lethal dose threshold for honey bees, affirming permethrin’s high toxicity. Therefore, while the timing of application minimizes exposure, significant protective actions are essential to safeguard bee populations against permethrin's harmful effects.
What Is The Success Rate Of Permethrin?
The treatment outcomes for scabies showed significant efficacy differences among various options. The dermoscopy-verified cure rates were 27% for the permethrin group and 87% for the benzyl benzoate (BB) group. Permethrin 5 cream had an excellent safety profile, while BB caused burning sensations in 43% of treated patients. A single ivermectin dose achieved a cure rate of 62. 4%, increasing to 92. 8% with two doses taken at two-week intervals. When applying permethrin twice with a one-week interval, the success rate reached 96.
9%. A full-body application of permethrin on days 1 and 8 effectively eradicated scabies in 30% of pretreated cases, with the rate rising to 55. 6% when administered on days 1, 8, and 15 for children previously treated. Moreover, a network meta-analysis of 52 trials indicated that permethrin had a significantly higher cure rate than sulfur, malathion, lindane, crotamiton, and benzyl benzoate. Although oral ivermectin was associated with a higher risk of treatment failure compared to topical permethrin, one dose of systemic ivermectin yielded similar clearance rates to a single permethrin application after two weeks.
A trial on pediculosis capitis revealed that dimethicone had better cure rates compared to permethrin lotion. Overall, both permethrin and ivermectin showed high clearance rates, with a noted preference for permethrin due to its superior efficacy and earlier recovery in patients. The results indicated that two applications of permethrin with a one-week interval were particularly effective, surpassing single doses of ivermectin. Despite the promising results, treatment failures might arise from developing drug resistance, warranting continuous monitoring of treatment efficacy.
Does Permethrin Kill Insects?
Permethrin is a pyrethroid insecticide that primarily targets the nervous system of insects, resulting in muscle spasms, paralysis, and death. While marketed as an insect repellent, it is more effective in killing insects on contact rather than preventing them from landing. It is commonly used against various pests like mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, mites, and lice. Permethrin's mode of action involves over-stimulating the nervous systems of insects, causing rapid incapacitation. Research by Consumer Reports in 2016 highlighted the reduced effectiveness of permethrin after consecutive washes.
Permethrin is particularly effective against bed bugs, disrupting their reproductive capabilities and nerve functions. It also effectively eliminates pests such as ants, spiders, and aphids, which can damage plants by transmitting diseases and promoting sooty mold growth. The insecticide can be deadly to various pests, including cockroaches, flies, and other common insects.
One of the advantages of permethrin is its prolonged efficacy, lasting up to 12 weeks after application. It can affect insects upon ingestion or direct contact. However, it is worth noting that permethrin is more toxic to insects than it is to humans and pets, making it safer for use around them. Often combined with piperonyl butoxide (PBO) in products, permethrin acts as both a stomach poison and a contact killer, enhancing its effectiveness against a wide range of pests. Permethrin is also utilized in a medical context for treating scabies and lice when applied topically as a cream or lotion.
Why Is Permethrin Controversial?
Permethrin is a widely used pesticide effective against various insects, including ticks and mosquitoes; however, its use has become controversial due to potential health risks and environmental concerns. As a broad-spectrum chemical, Permethrin kills not only targeted pests but also beneficial insects, such as honey bees, and poses dangers to cats and aquatic life. Although it is effective upon contact and has relatively low toxicity for mammals, its agricultural applications present significant challenges, especially its lethal effects on bees and high toxicity to aquatic organisms, raising red flags among scientists and critics calling for improved oversight of pesticide regulation.
Permethrin acts as a neurotoxin in insects, leading to muscle spasms, paralysis, and death, making it more toxic to insects than to humans and dogs. Chronic exposure can cause symptoms like headache, dizziness, and fatigue, and some studies suggest potential liver and nerve damage as well as immune system effects. Cats are particularly sensitive to Permethrin, requiring careful use among cat owners. The US EPA considers Permethrin "likely to be carcinogenic to humans" based on studies showing tumor development in mice.
Resistance in pests, such as bedbugs and ticks, diminishes Permethrin's effectiveness, prompting a shift towards alternative pest control methods, like rodent and host control. Despite its benefits, the ongoing debate surrounding its safety underscores the complexities of utilizing Permethrin in both agricultural and domestic contexts.
What Animals Is Permethrin Toxic To?
Permethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide that, while generally safe for dogs, livestock, and poultry, poses significant toxicity risks to cats, fish, and beneficial insects such as bees. Some permethrin formulations are explicitly for dogs and can cause harm to cats through direct contact or after a treated dog interacts with them, potentially leading to severe symptoms or even death. This insecticide disrupts sodium channels, making it highly toxic to aquatic life and beneficial insects, but mammals have a considerably lower susceptibility.
The acute toxicity of permethrin varies, with its LD50 (lethal dose for 50% of subjects) ranging from 430 to 4000 mg/kg in rats. Cats are particularly vulnerable to permethrin; even small amounts from dog flea treatments can lead to permethrin poisoning, which is a common and potentially life-threatening condition. Symptoms in cats may include severe nervous system reactions, such as twitching, seizures, and paralysis, indicating a risk that loving pet owners may unknowingly pose to their cats by using dog-specific products.
Further complicating the situation, certain aerosol formulations of permethrin may contain additional ingredients harmful to birds if inhaled. While permethrin is relatively low in toxicity for birds, the potential for harm exists, especially with exposure to other harmful components. Overall, it's crucial for pet owners to be aware of the risks associated with permethrin, as its safe application in most mammals does not extend to cats, fish, and invertebrates, which are highly sensitive to its effects.
What Bugs Does Permethrin Keep Away?
Permethrin is an effective insecticide that targets a wide range of pests, including fleas, ticks, cockroaches, flies, and mosquitoes. Often combined with piperonyl butoxide (PBO), it enhances the pest control capabilities of permethrin. While many are familiar with insect repellents containing DEET or picaridin, permethrin is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for treating clothing to prevent bites. Permethrin kills or incapacitates insects on contact, interrupting their nerve function and reproductive systems, making it particularly effective against bed bugs, ants, and spiders.
Permethrin can also repel and control various flying insects, such as house and horse flies, creating protective barriers when sprayed in outdoor areas. Users can purchase permethrin-treated clothing or apply the treatment to their own items, including boots, shirts, pants, socks, and tents.
Though marketed as a repellent, permethrin does not prevent insects from landing but rather kills or incapacitates them. It remains a widely-used insecticide globally, especially for protecting wool from pests like Tineola bisselliella. Permethrin’s mechanism involves overstimulating insect nervous systems, resulting in quick paralysis and death. It is crucial to weigh the pros and cons and explore alternatives for effective pest control.
Why Is Permethrin Toxic?
Permethrin, a pyrethroid insecticide, demonstrates significant immunosuppressive effects in laboratory settings, binding to male hormone receptors and causing chromosomal aberrations in human and hamster cells. This compound is notably toxic to honey bees, beneficial insects, fish, aquatic organisms, and crustaceans. It poses a high risk to cats, where exposure to dog flea treatments containing permethrin can lead to severe reactions including hyperexcitability, seizures, and death. In contrast, dogs exhibit minimal effects.
Permethrin’s neurotoxic properties manifest through symptoms like tremors and convulsions in animals, categorized under moderate toxicity levels depending on formulation. Though its use in public health mosquito control is common, modeled scenarios indicate alarming acute risks to various aquatic species. The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designates permethrin as a "restricted use" substance, highlighting its negative impact on freshwater and marine life by disrupting sodium channels.
Chronic exposure to low doses of permethrin has been linked to liver and kidney damage, yet its organ toxicity remains less pronounced in mammals compared to insects, likely due to enhanced metabolic processing. Additionally, products marketed for cats may contain low concentrations of permethrin, which infrequently lead to toxicity, though variability in susceptibility exists. Laboratory results have indicated that permethrin may have weak carcinogenic potential.
Given its high toxicity to aquatic organisms and potential for serious health dysfunction in humans, the careful management of permethrin usage is paramount to prevent adverse environmental and health outcomes.
📹 Deer Tick VS Permethrin
Deer Tick VS Permethrin. This video shows you what happens to a deer tick when it tries to walk on clothes treated with …
I sprayed 36.8% permethrin on a pair of ticks mating on my 14 month old puppy. 2os/gal. of water. 4 hours later I pulled them off and they are alive and well. Now I’ve put them into a coffee can to see how long they last. Maybe ticks have become immune to it. I guess I’ll try malathion next. But that smell is terrible. Any suggestions? Thanks
Glad i watched this! Very interesting. I was mostly interested about Pyrythririum as that is the only insecticide allowed to be used on what is stupidly named “organic” food. Every living thing is organic! Pyrythririum is also a great product as a barrier insecticide barring insects from entering one’s home. What I am wonder is how long does Pyrythrin stay impressioned into clothing & shoes? Once washing the pants, I would believe that would leach out immediately. Very knowledgeable! Thanks for making the article.
I NEED THIS FOR MY SKIN CONDITION, ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO I CONTRACTED SCABIES, I BELIEVE IT WAS FROM A CAT, SO IT’S BEEN 4 MONTHS WITH THESE MITE ISSUES ON MY SKIN, I BELIEVE I CONTINUE TO KILL THE MITES BUT THE EGGS THEY DEPOSIT IN MY SKIN IS CONTINUING TO CAUSE ISSUES FOR ME, I’VE TRIED EVERYTHING INCLUDING IVERMECTIN TABLETS, I HAVE NOT TRIED PERMETHRIN..I’M SUPER HESITANT BECAUSE IT’S AN INSECTICIDE AND I REALLY DON’T WANT THAT TOXIN ON MY SKIN, ANY THOUGHTS GUYS?
No your wrong you need to wear correct ppe when using permethrin or pyrethrum check the safety data sheet I believe section 11 has correct ppe or around there. Do NOT wear them as socks or treat clothing. When using pesticides always thoroughly read all parts of the safety data sheet!!!!!! And make sure the pesticides are labelled correctly. They are not drugs.
I am a geocacher in a Lyme area with lots of ticks. I grew up in Southern California and I recently had my first encounter with ticks on both me and my young daughter. After I got over the panic attack, I’ve decided I will not let my ignorance get us bitten again, and while I have heard (and used) of Permethrin before, I didn’t know how it worked. Now I know. Thank you so much for this! I enjoyed seeing that sucker suffer. Ticks are scary!
Yeah ! I sat in my stand before first light . The mosquitos in Florida are so thick and loud you can’t hear anything but buzzing until sun up. I sat there in my treatment of permethrin. I heard the mosquitos loud as ever . This time I heard drops on my clothes. At sun up there were dead piles of mosquitoes on my legs and arms . No doubt this is the best stuff ever.
All my hunting clothes are treated with Permethrin, however, I don’t user sawyers, it’s too expensive. I use Hi-Yield 38-Plus and dilute it with water. A 32-ounce bottle will run you $30 on Amazon. It has 38% permethrin, so to get it down to the 0.5% found in Sawyers, you can dilute it a ton. Basically, for $30, you’ll end up with the equivalent of 100 24-oz bottles of Sawyers that you pay $10 each for. To summarize: Sawyers costs about $53.17 a gallon Diluted Hi-Yield 28-Plus cost about $1.55 per gallon. You can get 19 gallons out of a 32-ounce bottle. I split the cost with 4 friends and we all pay about $8 each and get about 5 gallons each. That will last a long time.
Live in Missouri the ticks here are terrible .Deers ear and backs covered with them.If you go in woods without spraying permethin gauranteed they be on you or latched on in your neather regions.our dogs cant go out with the damn things crawling all over them have to spray their undercarraige to keep them at bay.
oh one more thing my son and his father in law have now bought themselves a diamond prism like mine. my son’s father in law who belongs to a Archery Club not too far from where I live. phoned me the other night and told me he was surprised by how many adult Archers are using the same bow and a few ladies and teenagers he said he never noticed it before. would it be possible for you to do a review on the diamond prism. I know I’ve said it before my archery has come on in leaps and bounds even with my traditional recurve bows. thanks to you. can’t thank you enough my dear friend. god bless you
While turkey hunting this spring I sat down in one location and within minutes I found 10 ticks on me. Thats the worst Ive ever seen I dont know if I sat down on their mother ship or what. I would like to see a article of the process of treating clothes…. which products you use at what concentration and how much to apply…..? Possibly discuss how long its affects last on clothing in your experience….? I currently have an empty rental house that is infested with fleas….I just ordered come permethrin concentrate 36.8% and insect growth regulator I am going to treat the whole house with. May give my camo clothes a spritz too.
Gotta be honest I didn’t take ticks as serious as I should have.. I did however notice a huge huge amount of tick this year verses others.. so I ran out n got some protection for me as well as my dog who I was a bit more concerned with being he’s a maniac n runs through everything I tell him not to we’ll. I didn’t get the protection soon enough.. just 2 days ago my vet called n told me my dogs got anaplasmimosis(similar to Lymes).. sorry my post is a bit scattered. U get the point though right. get urself some protection. especially for ur pets who can’t flick um off when the feel the crawling. ticks are nasty n can cause huge problems..
Sean, I never had an issue with ticks while deer hunting in the Northeast. I did once get covered up with them one Spring after turkey hunting in Georgia one year. I live and hunt in Connecticut a lot, and we named Lyme’s disease after, Lyme, CT, where it started. With the very warm winter, ticks will be a problem this Fall especially during archery season. Thanks for the type, I’ll have to get some of this stuff! (No issues with odor?)
hello Sean. blimey this article brought back some memories. about 30 years ago me and some buddies where ferreting town in Exmoor which has a hell of a lot of red deer. myself and two other mates were covered in ticks I had one Bury its head Wright in my crown jewels. not funny most embarrassing I had to go to hospital and have it removed. I was lucky I didn’t get Lyme disease that’s what the nurses and doctors told me. but that didn’t stop them giggling at my expense? yep it’s fair to say none of us went ferreting there again. even my poor little dog had a tick right under his eye last year cuz of them sheep across the road from where I live. I got two of those tick removal thingymajigs now. and his Frontline is always up to date. nasty little blighters. oh and for a laugh we told 2 off our friends apparently if you were ladies tights Ticks cant get to your nuts. they were gullible and they wore them. I’m laughing my bollocks off telling you this story. god’s honest truth. god bless you buddy