Insecticidal Hector from bed bugs and other insects

Today, there are more than a hundred of insecticidal drugs used to kill bed bugs in the domestic market, but for the sake of fairness, it’s necessary to say that in practice many of them are not only ineffective (for example, because of bugs ’chemistry), but simply dangerous to use due to high toxicity for humans. Hector remedy for bedbugs in this respect stands out sharply against the background of other insecticidal preparations, and the reason for this is a fundamentally new approach incorporated in its formulation.

Thanks to a very specific mechanism of action, which we'll talk about a little lower, "GEKTOR against bed bugs" destroys even those populations of parasites that have developed resistance to classical insecticides.In this case, the drug is safe for humans and animals, is not able to cause poisoning (4th class of danger, that is, the lowest) and is convenient when used in everyday life.

The same can be said about the drug "GEKTOR against crawling insects."

Let's take a closer look at the specifics of the Hector powder product line, their advantages and disadvantages, as well as the nuances of practical use in the fight against bedbugs ...

 

Active ingredients of GEKTOR preparations

In the Hector product line, today there are two products: “GEKTOR against bed bugs” and “GEKTOR against crawling insects”. The first is a specialized tool for the fight against bedbugs, the second is a widely targeted preparation for dealing with various flightless invertebrates, including fleas, cockroaches, ants, ticks, woodlice, etc.

The basis of the composition of Hector against bed bugs is fine hydrophilic silica. This synthetic substance is remarkable for its very small particle size and high adsorption capacity, due to which the preparation powder is very light and is able to actively and in large quantities absorb liquids (especially water).

On a note

Finely dispersed silicon dioxide is widely used in medicine, industry (including food) and technology. The particle size of a substance, depending on the method of preparation, can reach 5 nm.

The mechanism of moisture absorption of the powder Hector is due to the fact that upon contact of the drug with any moisture-containing surface, it begins to pull the liquid, firmly holding it (adsorbing) on ​​the surface of its particles. At the same time, due to the extremely small particle size, the sorption surface of the powder is huge: the total surface area of ​​particles in 1 g of the preparation reaches hundreds of square meters. To wet this surface requires a lot of moisture, and therefore from the bugs GEKTOR literally "sucks" water.

It is interesting

The application of some modifications of powdered silica in medicine is based on the same adsorption effect. Here it is used as an enterosorbent - getting into the stomach, the substance "absorbs" into itself poisonous substances that have not yet had time to be absorbed into the blood.

Thus, when particles of the drug Hector hit the body of the bug, the main action is to dehydrate the parasite.Depending on how much money will be on the surface of the bloodsucker’s body, it dies at different times - from several hours to several days (at the Research and Development Institute of Disinfectology, Rospotrebnadzor, during experiments, 100% bedbug mortality occurred during the day) .

As for the drug "GEKTOR against crawling insects" - in its composition the active ingredient is also silicon dioxide, but not synthetic, but natural, in the form of diatomite. It is a rock consisting of small remnants of shells of diatoms.

The particle size of diatomite is larger than that of synthetic silicon dioxide, the adsorption properties are somewhat lower, but abrasive properties are strongly pronounced. Due to this, the powder is capable of damaging (scratching) the insect's cuticle wax layer, leading it to a state of a kind of molecular sieve (Zaher effect) that is no longer able to effectively hold water in the tissues - as a result, the insect also dies from dehydration.

 

The effectiveness of the drug in the fight against bedbugs

"Hector against bed bugs" begins to act immediately after the particles hit the surface of the parasite's body. It does not matter to which specific part of the body the powder is stuck - to the abdomen, head or legs.In any case, dehydration of the body bug will begin, and the difference will be only in the speed of this process.

The rate of death of the parasite to a significant extent depends on how much powder fell on the outer integument. If the bug, for example, crawled over the scattered drug and completely smeared in it, then it will die within a few hours.

More often, it happens that an insect runs through a thin layer of sprayed substance, soiling in the powder of the foot and partly in the belly. In this case, it may take longer for the parasite to dehydrate, up to several days. In practice, the bugs (and cockroaches, by the way, too) continue to die for several days after using the money in the apartment. It is also worth noting that with the loss of fluid in the body of the insect all vital processes are slowed down, and therefore, it becomes less active every minute. This prevents the ability to leave offspring before their death.

On a note

Reviews of employees of the Research Institute of Disinfectology, who tested the products of the GEKTOR line, perhaps more eloquently describe the situation.Experienced experts say in their reports that, in fact, the effect of the drugs on cockroaches and bedbugs is similar to that of acute-acting insecticides.

It is important that both products of the “GEKTOR” line of bugs do not develop resistance, and these funds will effectively destroy even those populations of parasites that are resistant to the effects of commonly used chemical insecticides (classical pyrethroids, carbamates and some organophosphorus substances, which are often observed cross stability).

 

Will Hector help against pests on the plot?

Hector's line of drugs can be used not only against bed bugs and synanthropic insects (that is, those that depend on human buildings), but also against pests. Powdered silica effectively destroys insects in gardens, gardens, flower beds and greenhouses.

For these purposes it is more rational to use “GEKTOR against crawling insects”. It is significantly cheaper, but its effectiveness is sufficient for pest control.

When using Hector against pests, it is useful to consider the following nuances:

• Against some flying insects, the drug may not be sufficiently effective. If he creeps well with aphids or various bugs (they crawl more than fly), then here the adult stages of flies, sawflies, thrips, moles with the preparation will be in contact only sporadically and, moreover, the insect will partially shake off the powder in flight. Simply put, the tool works best against crawling insects, which is reflected in its name;
• The drug is highly effective against slugs and snails, especially in cases where they are treated directly to areas near the shelters of these mollusks;
• The effectiveness of the tool is temporarily reduced when it is wet. Wet diatomite or hydrophilic silica, being saturated with moisture, lose their ability to actively absorb it from the body of insects. Although, after complete drying, the preparation completely restores its insecticidal properties (it is useful to take into account that such drying of the powder in certain areas of the household farm may not occur if the ground is constantly wet here).

It is also important to remember that when accessing water, insects and other invertebrates can survive after a short contact with Hector. Therefore, the processing is best done in dry sunny weather.

 

Terms of use

For the effective destruction of bedbugs in the house, Hector powder preparations should be applied in those places where the parasites often move at night or hide during the daytime.

On a note

It is important to understand that the drugs themselves do not attract insects and do not work as bait. Also, they do not emit toxic substances into the air (like some aerosol preparations), and therefore they do not penetrate into the places of shelters of insects.

In the fight against bedbugs using Hector, it is best to treat the following places:

• Beds in the apartment - beds, sofas, folding chairs, cots. To obtain the most pronounced and quick results, they should be disassembled, the mattresses should be removed, wooden structures should be unwound. Powder especially carefully processed seams of mattresses, cracks in wooden structures, joints of parts, grooves for screws and bolts, that is, those places where bugs most often arrange their nests;
• In addition, powder is processed into the cracks behind the baseboards, bookshelves, rear walls of the furniture, unstuck wallpaper, carpets on the walls (on the reverse side), cracks in the parquet;
• For the effective destruction of those individuals of parasites that periodically migrate at night from the depths of the apartment to the place of human sleep and rest, it is also useful to process the legs of the beds and sofas, thus creating a kind of barrier, at the intersection of which the insect will be doomed to death.

Below is the official instructions for the use of insecticidal "GEKTOR":

On a note

The uses of Hector powders (in addition to the standard prescribed in the instructions) can be extended using special traps under the legs of the bed. Under them can be adapted, for example, plastic containers of suitable size. Powder is poured into the container with a layer of approximately 1 cm in thickness, after which the bed foot is placed in such an improvised trap. Each leg of the bed should be installed in such a “glass”.

When using this method of dealing with bedbugs, it is important that the parasites are already destroyed on the bed itself.Then those from them who remained in other places of the apartment, at night, will definitely try to get on the bed. Since the insects will need to use the foot of the bed for this, all parasites will first fall into the trap with the powder. This allows you to methodically destroy all adult individuals and larvae present in the room (including those larvae that gradually hatch from eggs hidden in the nooks of the apartment).

In almost the same way, the GEKTOR crawling insect preparation is used to kill cockroaches. In this case, the powder is applied to the baseboards, behind the bedside tables, around the bin and the sink. He is poured into baiting stations, into which food bait is put: being attracted by it, cockroaches get into a container with powder, get dirty in the preparation and then die.

In the garden with the preparation “GEKTOR against crawling insects,” it is best to directly process the places where pests congregate and shelter.

 

Safety of drugs Hector for people and pets

Both drugs Hector (from bedbugs and crawling insects), according to the parameters of acute toxicity when injected into the stomach and on the skin, belong to the 4th class of hazardous substances, that is, the safest.

On a note

Fenthion, chlorpyrifos, lambda-cygalothrin, etc., which are widely used in popular insecticidal preparations, are classified as hazard class 2 substances (hazardous compounds). For comparison: potassium cyanide is also characterized by hazard class 2 by the degree of exposure to the human body.

In relation to humans and pets, the powder of the drug Hector does not have a toxic effect by inhalation and accidental ingestion (even if there is relatively much to be swallowed). As noted above, in medicine, preparations based on finely dispersed silicon dioxide are even specially used orally as enterosorbents. Silicon dioxide is an inert substance, is not absorbed into the blood and is completely excreted from the body through the intestine in unchanged form.

Hector's preparations do not cause allergies either when ingested or when applied to the skin.

On a note

Due to its high safety, silicon dioxide is used as a food additive in food products, it is added to cosmetics (for example, creams and facial scrubs) and in toothpastes.

In other words, the feature of Hector's drugs is thatthat they have a detrimental effect on bugs (and other insects), leading to rapid dehydration and death, and in warm-blooded animals, perhaps, they can cause some drying effect on the skin.

 

General view on drugs, advantages and disadvantages

What can we say in the end about Hector, as a means to fight bed bugs?

• The drugs are effective, and even against resistant to the "chemistry" populations of parasites;
• Bedbugs do not develop resistance to the agent;
• Drugs are safe for people and pets (do not cause poisoning and allergies);
• They are odorless and do not emit harmful substances into the air;
• They have a long lasting effect on treated surfaces;
• Preparations Hector is convenient to use as a barrier agent;
• The drugs are relatively inexpensive (prices are slightly lower);
• Easy to use.

There are some disadvantages that are useful to consider in practice:

• The ability to dust. In other words, if, for example, the powder is simply poured along the plinth, then from the draft it can gradually spread around the room. Therefore, GEKTOR powders should be filled first of all into various slots and cavities where parasites hide and from which the powder will not be blown out;
• The drug does not destroy insects quickly, as do highly toxic insecticides of nerve action. For the extermination of all bugs or cockroaches, depending on the degree of contamination of the room, it may take from several days to a couple of weeks;
• When used in the garden, Hector against crawling insects can destroy, along with pests, useful invertebrates - predatory beetles, ladybugs, spiders. Therefore, it is important to point the drug in places where pests accumulate - so Hector will destroy the maximum pests with the least harm to the beneficial fauna.

In general, it can be noted that, due to the combination of properties, Hector’s preparations are superior to many other insecticidal substances present in the domestic market. According to its recipe and mechanism of action, these are non-standard products that have broad prospects for domestic use.

 

Price of funds and commercially available analogues

Hector against bed bugs costs an average of 550 rubles per bottle with 100 g of powder. The cost of the drug against crawling insects is about 300 rubles per bottle with 150 g of the product.

In Moscow, both drugs can be bought in specialized stores selling insect control products, and household chemicals stores, and via the Internet you can order on the official website (both in retail and wholesale with appropriate discounts).

Consumption of funds for the effective destruction of insects is 2-3 g / m² for the drug against bedbugs and 3-4 g / m² for the preparation against crawling insects. Given that the tool is not applied entirely to all surfaces, but only in places of shelter and insect movement, one bottle is enough to remove bugs in a standard 1-2-room apartment of a moderate degree of infection.

As for the analogues, there is only one product on the Russian market with a composition similar to that of Hector against creeping insects - Ekokiller, which also used diatomite. In America and Europe, diatomite-based insecticidal preparations have proven themselves well and are actively used, including the combined ones (in which diatomite is supplemented with nerve insecticides).

There are no analogues of the drug "GEKTOR against bed bugs" on the Russian market (in foreign markets, apparently, too).

 

If you have any personal experience with Hector's drugs when dealing with bedbugs or other insects, be sure to share the information by leaving your feedback at the bottom of the page (in the comment form).

 

Review and testing of bedbug remedy Hector

 

Useful video: bed treatment for bedbugs with a foreign diatomite-based preparation