Yes, it does. Sevin is an insect brand that has been helping farmers and arborists exterminate over 500 insect species for decades.
Its active ingredient is zeta-cypermethrin, a pyrethroid with a longer pre-harvest interval than other ingredients. Juvenile and adult spotted lanternflies die when they come into contact with Sevin.
Table of Contents
What Is Sevin?
Sevin is a contact insecticide that kills destructive insects and bugs such as spotted lanternflies, whiteflies, and aphids.
Some older brands of Sevin have carbaryl as the active ingredient but the recent ones incorporated zeta-cypermethrin as the active component.
Carbaryl has an extended pre-harvest interval(PHI)(3-14 days), making it undesirable to horticulturists who want to harvest their flowers and vegetables sooner.
It is, thus, crucial to check the active ingredient when shopping for Sevin insect killer, depending on your needs and type of plants.
Sevin is suitable for spraying edible vegetables, vines, fruit trees, hardwood and ornamentals.
What Are The Different Types of Sevin Insecticide?
Sevin comes in three forms:
- concentrate
- ready-to-use spray
- ready-to-use hand spray for small areas
Sevin Insect Killer Concentrate
This is a concentrated insecticide that needs dilution with water before application.
It is the ideal insecticide for large scale coverage of trees, flowers, vegetables and ornamentals.
How to Use Sevin Insect Killer Concentrate to Kill Spotted Lanternflies
To use this concentrate, you will need the following items:
- Sevin concentrate
- Measuring cap
- Water for dilution
- Spray pump
- Protection gear such as overalls, gloves, face shield and eye protector.
Always read the product label carefully to learn how best to use the product.
Usually, the label will tell you the amount of concentrate you need per hectare or square meters and the corresponding amount of dilution water.
Here is the procedure to follow when using Sevin concentrate on your plants.
Preparation
Do the following to prepare your product:
- Shake the bottle containing the concentrate to distribute the active ingredient evenly
- Take the measuring cap and put the indicated amount, taking caution not to spill any product
- Add the concentrate into the spray pump
- Measure the dilution water as shown on the label
- Add to the spray pump and mix well with the concentrate.
- Pump the sprayer to apply pressure
Application
Follow the steps during application for maximum efficiency of the insecticide:
- Spray the leaves, flowers, branches and end with the trunk, paying particular attention to the most infested areas.
- For an extensive area, start with the farthest point and retrace your steps backwards to avoid coming into contact with the insecticide.
- The ideal time to spray is on a calm, cloudy day. Windy weather may cause wastage and contamination as the wind blows the precipitation to neighboring areas. On the other hand, a hot sunny day is not ideal because too much heat will lead to the insecticide burning the plants.
For Safety Purposes: Clean the sprayer thoroughly after the application and store the remaining concentrate as per the label instructions.
Ready to Spray Formulation
As its name suggests, this insecticide comes with the mixing already done for you by the manufacturer.
You only need to connect your hose pipe sprayer and apply the product to the affected plants.
This type of spray is ideal for quick, thorough coverage without the measuring and mixing hassle.
You can use it on:
- large-scale vegetable gardens
- lawns
- tree gardens
- and ornamental hedges
Ready to Use Spray
The ready to use spray comes in a compact, easy-to-use sprayer bottle with an adjustable nozzle that lets you regulate how much product comes out of the sprayer.
The hand-held insecticide is ideal for close-up extermination of spotted lanternflies on short bushes, backyard hedge, and kitchen garden edibles.
Is Sevin Harmful To Humans?
Sevin is safe for humans, but there are conditions:
- Firstly, you need to follow the manufacturer’s instructions on handling and application.
- Wear protective gear and avoid coming into contact with the product.
- In case of accidental swallowing, induce vomiting, then take lots of water.
- For skin irritation, wash the affected area with cold running water.
- Do not apply ointments or powder. Instead, wrap the affected area with loose clothing.
Is Sevin Safe For Pets?
Sevin is safe for pets when used according to the label instructions.
However, as a rule of thumb, don’t let your pets stray to sprayed areas until the spray has dried.
Even if Sevin is an insecticide, you should never spray it on pets to control body bugs such as fleas.
Can I Use Sevin Indoors?
No. Sevin is an outdoor insecticide, and you should not use it inside the house or car.
Even if you spot the spotted lanternfly indoors, use other elimination methods such as spraying with neem oil or stomping them out.
Wrapping Up
Sevin kills spotted lanternflies.
The insecticide comes in three forms, a dilutable concentrate, a ready-to-spray product that you can connect to your spraying hose and a hand-held ready-to-use spray with a nozzle for close up application.
The active ingredient is zeta-cypermethrin, but you may find older brands whose active ingredient is carbaryl.
Zeta-cypermethrin is preferred for edibles because it has a shorter pre-harvest interval.
