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How much insecticide does the Pyranha system consume?
The following formula is for figuring out how many gallons of diluted Pyranha Insecticide your automatic system will consume in one week.
Number of times system fires in a day multiplied by
Number of days in week (7) multiplied by
Number of spray nozzles on your system.
Divide by 128 oz. gives you the number of gallons of liquid used each week. (a 45 second cycle dispenses 1 ounce of insecticide per spray nozzle.)
The following is calculated for firing for 45 seconds, 5 times a day, at 190 p.s.i.:
| 30 Gallon drum | 55 Gallon Drum |
| 6 nozzles - 1.64 gal/wk | 18 weeks | 33 weeks |
| 8 nozzles - 2.19 gal/wk | 13 weeks | 25 weeks |
| 10 nozzles - 2.73 gal/wk | 11 weeks | 20 weeks |
| 12 nozzles - 3.28 gal/wk | 9 weeks | 16 weeks |
| 14 nozzles - 3.83 gal/wk | 8 weeks | 14 weeks |
| 16 nozzles - 4.38 gal/wk | 7 weeks | 12 weeks |
| 18 nozzles - 4.92 gal/wk | 6 weeks | 11 weeks |
| 20 nozzles - 5.47 gal/wk | 5 weeks | 10 weeks |
What is a misting system?
It is a system specifically designed to automatically deliver a fine mist of insecticide formulation at pre-set time intervals which helps eliminate a wide range of flying insects. Some of which include; mosquitoes, flies, wasps, and spiders in and around horse barns, and residential outdoor spaces.
Who invented the system?
Carl Cunningham, Pyranha Incorporated’s founder created and patented the first automatic misting system in 1972 for the control of flies in horse barns and called it SprayMaster™ . More than three decades later the basic SprayMaster™ design is still the model for all misting systems in the market.
How does the SprayMaster™ system work?
The SprayMaster™ System consists of a 1/2 horsepower electric motor-driven pump controlled by a solid state electronic timer that is programmed to turn the unit on at specific intervals, operate for a set period of time, and then turn off. A series of spray nozzles emits specially formulated insecticide to control flies, mosquitoes, gnats and other flying insects.
What kind of insecticide is used in SprayMater™ systems?
We recommend that SprayMaster™ and other misting systems be refilled with Pyranha 1-10 HP™ (brand) insecticide for 55-gallon systems and 1-10 HPS™ (brand) for 30-gallon systems. Because they are formulated with the highest quality pyrethrums and Permethrin (a synthetic form of pyrethrum) both 1-10 HP™ and 1-10 HPS™ are considered premium formulations that control a wider range of insects than competitive products.
What is Pyrethrum?
Pyrethrum is an insecticide derived from a plant extract of the species of the genus Chrysanthemum (Daisy), native to southwestern Asia and Africa, whose aromatic flower heads, when powdered, constitute the active ingredient Pyrethrin. The main active ingredients in Pyrethrin is a mixture of four compounds: Pyrethrin I and II and Cinerin II and I.
Is Pyrethrum harmful?
Pyrethrum has shown to have low level of toxicity to mammals. This family of insecticides is EPA registered for use in many household products and livestock treatment as well for treating unwanted pests in edible plants and fruits. Used properly and at the concentrations stated in the label instructions, Pyrethrum should not be harmful. Pyrethrum and Permethrin related products should always be used in accordance to the product label instructions.
Will pyrethrum harm my pets?
No, If used properly as directed in the label Pyrethrum is considered to have a low toxicity to humans and pets (mammals). Pyrethrum insecticides have been used in agriculture and equine applications for over thirty years, with no known harmful effects.
Mosquitos
Adult Males and Females
Female mosquitoes are usually larger than males. Females have fine threadlike antennae with few hairs, whereas males have bushy antennae. Eggs of some mosquitoes float on the water in rafts. Adults have delicate legs, a long proboscis and one pair of transparent wings.
Immature's (different stages)
Mosquitoes are holometabolous insects and therefore grow through an egg, larva, pupa to adult stage. The larvae and pupae are aquatic, the adults are free flying. At 80° F the larva goes through four larval instars in about 4 days before pupating. The pupa takes three days before the adult emerges. Adult females live several weeks if given a source of sugar. Males usually live less than a week.
Natural History
Food
Larvae eat many things. They graze over rocks and plant material removing growing algae and bacteria. They will filter feed from polluted water, but the water in which they live must never be allowed to develop a scum as they must be able to contact the air through the siphon at the end of the abdomen. Both male and female adults feed on nectar. Females also feed on blood which is needed to produce eggs. Some species can produce eggs without a blood meal. Males do not feed on blood.
Habitat
Larvae and pupae live in water, usually still water. They do not survive well in rushing streams or badly polluted water. Adults hide in vegetation near water or in cool, damp places. Many species fly in search of blood meals in the evening.
Predators
Many fish and predatory aquatic insects eat larvae and pupae. Bats, birds and spiders eat flying adults.
Interesting Behaviors
Watching the feeding behavior of larvae is instructive. Larvae are such effective filter feeders that they can clean polluted water. Adult females respond to cues produced by warm-blooded animals.
Impact on the Ecosystem
Positive
Mosquito larvae are important food for fish and other predatory aquatic animals. Adult mosquitoes are also important food for birds, bats and other arthropods, including dragonflies and spiders.
Negative
Mosquitoes transmit pathogens that cause some of the worst diseases known, including malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever and encephalitis. However, mosquitoes only transmit the pathogens. In most cases, they must feed on someone with the disease to be able to transmit it to another person. Adult mosquitoes reared from larvae collected from ponds seldom carry pathogens. Do not let field caught mosquitoes feed on your hand.
Excerpt from a paper contained in the Center for Insect Science Education Outreach. The University of Arizona
Flys
Adult Males and Females
Males and females are hard to distinguish. Females are usually larger and can extend the tip of the abdomen to form an ovipositor which is used to lay eggs. Sometimes males have enlarged eyes which meet on top of the head.
Immature's (different stages)
Flies are holometabolous, therefore they have four distinct morphological stages; egg, larva (maggot), pupa and adult. After hatching from the egg, larvae molt twice as they grow. Molting of maggots is difficult to see. Larvae are maggots with a legless soft body except for the dark mouth hooks. Pupae are dark, and look like a small barrel.
Natural History
Food
Larvae feed on decaying meat and feces. Adult flies feed on sugary food of any kind, including nectar and rotting fruit.
Habitat
Flies live in garbage and wherever animal feces are available. Dead animals attract flies within hours after death. Most flies are diurnal.
Predators
Many birds, bats, spiders, and insects such as dragonflies eat the adults. Predatory and parasitic insects eat the larvae.
Interesting Behaviors
The eyes of flies are among the most complex in the insect world. They are compound eyes with many individual facets, each representing a separate light-detecting unit. The light reflected from the eye of a horsefly can form a rainbow.
- Flies taste, smell, and feel with the hairs that cover their bodies. The hairs on the fly's mouth parts and feet are used for tasting. Flies taste what they walk on. If they walk onto something tasty, they put down their mouth and taste it again.
- Flies use other hairs to tell them when they touch something. These hairs bend when touched.
- The eyes of a fly do not have eyelids, so flies rub their eyes with their feet to keep them clean.
A fly cleans itself constantly. - Flies walk on smooth surfaces using sticky soft pads that act like glue. This allows them to walk on vertical glass surfaces and upside down.
Impact on the Ecosystem
Positive
Flies and other insects, such as burying beetles, are very important in consuming and eliminating dead bodies of animals. Flies are also essential in the conversion of feces and decaying vegetation to soil. Flies serve as prey to many other animals. Some flies aid in pollination.
Negative
Because of their habits of being attracted to feces and decaying meat, flies have been implicated in transmission of disease such as dysentery, typhoid fever, and cholera.
Excerpt from a paper contained in the Center for Insect Science Education Outreach. The University of Arizona
Pyrethrins
Pyrethrins are natural insecticides produced by certain species of the chrysanthemum plant. The flowers of the plant are harvested shortly after blooming and are either dried and powdered or the oils within the flowers are extracted with solvents. The resulting pyrethrin containing dusts and extracts usually have an active ingredient content of about 30%. These active insecticide components are collectively known as pyrethrins. Two pyrethrins are most prominent, pyrethrin-I and pyrethrin-II.
The pyrethrins have another four different active ingredients, Cinerin I and II and Jasmolin I and II. Pyrethrin compounds have been used primarily to control human lice, mosquitoes, cockroaches, beetles and flies. Some pyrethrin dusts, used to control insects in horticultural crops, are only 0.3% to 0.5% pyrethrins, and are used at rates of up to 50 lb/A. Other pyrethrin compounds may be used in grain storage and in poultry pens and on dogs and cats to control lice and fleas.
The natural pyrethrins are contact poisons which quickly penetrate the nerve system of the insect. A few minutes after application, the insect cannot move or fly away. But, a knockdown dose does not mean a killing dose. The natural pyrethrins are swiftly detoxified by enzymes in the insect. Thus, some pests will recover. To delay the enzyme action so a lethal dose is assured, organophosphate's, carbamates, or synergists may be added to the pyrethrins.
Excerpt from a paper contained in the Pesticide Information Project of Cooperative Extension Offices at Cornell University, Michigan State University, Oregon State University, and University of California at Davis.
West Nile Virus
West Nile virus (WNV) is a potentially serious illness. Experts believe WNV is established as a seasonal epidemic in North America that flares up in the summer and continues into the fall. This fact sheet contains important information that can help you recognize and prevent West Nile virus.
When dealing with West Nile virus, prevention is your best bet. Fighting mosquito bites reduces your risk of getting this disease, along with others that mosquitoes can carry.
Take the 3 commonsense steps below to reduce your risk:
1. Avoid bites and illness
When possible, wear long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors. Mosquitoes may bite through thin clothing, so spraying clothes with repellent containing permethrin or DEET will give extra protection. Don't apply repellents containing permethrin directly to skin. Do not spray repellent containing DEET on the skin under your clothing. The hours from dusk to dawn are peak mosquito biting times for many species of mosquitoes. Take extra care to use repellent and protective clothing during evening and early morning -- or consider avoiding outdoor activities during these times.
2. Clean out the mosquitoes from the places where you work and play
Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by getting rid of items that hold water. Some mosquitoes like to come indoors. Keep them outside by having well-fitting screens on both windows and doors. Offer to help neighbors whose screens might be in bad shape.
3. Help your community control the disease
Dead birds may be a sign that West Nile virus is circulating between birds and the mosquitoes in an area. Over 130 species of birds are known to have been infected with West Nile virus, though not all infected birds will die. It's important to remember that birds die from many other causes besides West Nile virus.
Check with local health authorities to see if there is an organized mosquito control program in your area. If no program exists, work with your local government officials to establish a program. The American Mosquito Control Association can provide advice, and their book Organization for Mosquito Control is a useful reference.
More questions about mosquito control? A source for information about pesticides and repellents is the National Pesticide Information Center, which also operates a toll-free information line: 1-800-858-7378 (check their Web site for hours). Mosquito breeding sites can be anywhere. Neighborhood clean up days can be organized by civic or youth organizations to pick up containers from vacant lots and parks, and to encourage people to keep their yards free of standing water.
Mosquitoes don't care about fences, so it's important to control breeding sites throughout the neighborhood.
Something to remember
The chance that any one person is going to become ill from a single mosquito bite remains low. The risk of severe illness and death is highest for people over 50 years old, although people of all ages can become ill.
2004 West Nile Virus Activity in the United States (reported to CDC as of December 14, 2004)
