Gellable ant bait matrix
AssigneesThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture, Waterbury Companies, Inc.
InventorsMaria Guadalupe Rojas, Juan A. Morales-Ramos, Ligia M. Hernandez, Jonathan D. Peters
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Abstract
Ant foods mixed together in a matrix suitable to be used as baits for ants are provided. This ant matrix is preferred by ants over naturally-occurring foods such as other known ant matrices. It comprises protein, carbohydrate, fat and sterol as ant-preferred nutrients and uric acid as a bait enhancing agent is carried in a unique gel system that is specifically attractive to insects. Methods of controlling ants using such matrices to deliver ant toxins are also provided.
Claims5
A gelatinous bait matrix for attracting and killing ants comprising:
- a.) water,
- b.) a salt selected from the group consisting of calcium chloride, calcium propionate and calcium carbonate,
- c.) pectin or plant derived polysaccharide,
- d.) a toxicant effective against ants, and
- e.) an ant attractant which comprises:
- i.) a cellulose,
- ii.) a sugar,
- iii.) a plant starch,
- iv.) an instant nonfat dry milk,
- v.) a dried egg yolk,
- vi.) a sterol compound,
- vii.) uric acid, and
- viii.) a plant based oil;
- in amounts and ratios effective as an attractant and lethal agent for said ants.
A gelatinous bait matrix for attracting and killing ants comprising:
- a.) water in a concentration of 40%-70% by weight,
- b.) a salt selected from the group consisting of calcium chloride, calcium propionate and calcium carbonate in a concentration of 0.01% to 0.5% by weight,
- c.) pectin or plant derived polysaccharide in a concentration of 30% to 40% by weight,
- d.) a toxicant effective against ants in a concentration of about 0.0001% to about 6% by weight, and
- e.) an ant attractant in a concentration of 20% to 40% by weight, wherein said attractant comprises:
- i.) a cellulose in a concentration of 1% to 5% by weight of attractant,
- ii.) a sugar component in a concentration of 1% to 10% by weight of attractant,
- iii.) a plant starch component in a concentration of 0.5% to 5% by weight of attractant,
- iv.) an instant nonfat dry milk in a concentration of 30% to 60% by weight of attractant,
- v.) a dried egg yolk in a concentration of 20% to 60% by weight of attractant,
- vi.) a sterol compound in a concentration of 0.0001% to 0.01% by weight of attractant,
- vii.) uric acid in a concentration of 0.1% to about 1% by weight of attractant, and
- viii.) a plant based oil in a concentration of 2% to 15% by weight of attractant.
A gelatinous bait matrix for attracting and killing ants comprising:
- 3 a.) spring water about 55.0% by weight, b.) calcium chloride about 0.1% by weight, c.) pectin about 3.0% by weight, d.) xanthan gum about 0.5% by weight, e.) boric acid about 5.0% by weight, and f.) ant bait formulation about 38.9% by weight which in turn comprises:
- i.) cellulose about 2.6% by weight, ii.) pure grain sugar about 3.8% by weight, iii.) corn starch about 1.3% by weight, iv.) instant nonfat dry milk about 44.6% by weight, v.) dry egg yolk about 39.0% by weight, vi.) ergosterol about 0.003% by weight, vii.) uric acid about 0.5% by weight, and viii.) canola oil about 3.2% by weight.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.