Alatar, a Colorado potato beetle repellent: instructions for use and reviews

Gardeners' annual battle against the Colorado potato beetle has yielded no positive results for many years, despite both scientific advances and folk remedies. Every gardener tries to get rid of these voracious insects by any means necessary during their season. But the beetle quickly adapts to insecticides and survives.Another challenge in controlling the pest is its rapid spread over a large area, as it's a flying insect. Currently, it's absent only from the Far North. The beetle can completely destroy a nightshade crop, leaving the owner without a "second bread."

Alatar — a remedy for the Colorado potato beetle

A relatively new insecticide on the market, it's versatile and effective against almost all pests.

Alatar is a liquid with a very unpleasant odor. Its combination of active ingredients—malathion, cypermethrin, a solvent, and a stabilizer—makes it deadly to insects. Furthermore, the manufacturer added an adhesive to the formula for a longer-lasting effect.

Cypermethrin is a third-generation insecticide. Its combination of components provides effective control of flying insects.

Since the Colorado potato beetle is highly adaptable to various poisons, the manufacturer, by combining two substances into one, eliminated the possibility of the beetle surviving after application of the product.

The advantage of the drug

Compared to other means, Alatar is a more advantageous option.

1. High efficiency due to the combination of two powerful components.
2. Thanks to a special adhesive, Alatar is not washed off by dew and rain.
3. Economy due to low consumption rate.

Instructions for use

The recommended dosage is 5 ml per 10 liters per 100 square meters. The product is diluted as follows:

• prepare a container of 1 to 3 liters, pour in cold water;
• open the ampoule and pour the contents into water, stir;
• add liquid to make a volume of 10 liters and mix well again.

The instructions for the product detail the application instructions for each crop. To spray potatoes, use 10 liters of solution per 100 square meters. No more than two applications are recommended. The final spraying should be performed three weeks before harvest.

The product is eliminated from plant cells within 20 days on average. Therefore, it is not recommended to spray shortly before digging up potatoes, as this could pose a health risk.

Recommended treatment time

The key requirement for treatment is dry, windless weather. It's important to check the weather forecast before taking decisive action to combat the pest. If precipitation or strong winds are forecast, it's best to avoid treatment that day. Control will be ineffective. As a last resort, try to treat the potatoes 6-7 hours before precipitation. This should give the pesticide time to take effect.

Strong winds will simply blow the product off the plant, wasting all the effort. A temperature of 10-25 degrees Celsius is recommended. Morning or evening application is recommended.

The plant must be treated thoroughly, ensuring the product is distributed evenly across the leaves. No part of the plant should be left untreated. Otherwise, the beetle will not die, but will become accustomed to the product, negating its effectiveness.

And getting rid of the insects will become simply impossible. Alatar is one of the most powerful insecticides. Using other products will be ineffective. To avoid developing immunity, it is recommended to alternate Alatar with other products, but only if used correctly.

The effects begin to be visible within a few hours. Within two days, the insects die.

Security measures

1. Alatar contains a solvent. Therefore, do not use near an open flame. Smoking is prohibited.
2. When handling, be careful not to allow the product to come into contact with exposed skin. For this purpose, it's best to wear protective clothing and gloves.
3. After work, you must thoroughly wash your hands and face with soap.
4. Do not allow other people, children or animals near the spraying area.
5. If it gets into the digestive tract, you should drink as much water and activated charcoal as possible.

Reviews

Those who have tested the product in practice leave mostly positive reviews, noting its high effectiveness. Many, thanks to Alatar, have saved their crops from the rampant invasion of the Colorado potato beetle. Moreover, it is effective against not only the Colorado potato beetle but also many other pests.