[pct-l] Permethrin (was: Oregon)

[Jim Marco]

Permethrin and DEET are different. One is a pretty good insecticide. The other is a pretty good repellant. They have different uses, and, understanding how they differ and their uses lets you use both to the maximum benefit. 

Permethrin is a bug killer. It is also deadly to a few mammals (cats) and most amphibians. It acts as a dye in/on clothing. Generally, these are loose bonds that can be broken with other dyes. Other dyes, such as loud, heavily dyed colors on nylon, do not let Permethrin bond well...at least at the concentration wanted for killing bugs. It works quickly by irritating, then overloading the bugs nerves. Soo, it can also act as a repellant, because bugs are rapidly poisoned. People are immune to it, it does not generally pass through your skin. But, it can cause irritation (a rash) in rare cases. It is considered safe to use, though some states outlaw it because of it's effect on fish and other aquatic wildlife. POLY cloths do not dye well. Anything that does not dye well does not pick up Permethrin well. Some other binder must be used. A good example is Poly long johns. Working with it is sort of like any other insecticide. Gloved hands are highly recommended. Generally, a 1% concentration is sufficient to treat clothing. Since it will only attach to dye sites, the solution will be depleted, soo, you need to add more fore each piece you add. I usually use a 5 or 10% mux diluted to about .5% in a 5 gallon bucket. I dump in my cloths and let them sit for about 5 minutes, then wring them out and hang them to dry. After drying thoroughly, I rinse them out in a 5 gallon bucket, then, wash normally in the washer. NONE of the water from treatment is poured out. Or, poured down the drain or on the ground. Sewage Treatment plants DO NOT destroy the Permethrin. It IS destroyed by UV, though. Pouring a quart at a time on your paved driveway will let the sun's UV deactivate it. Again, DO NOT pour it into a storm drain, house drain, etc... It works excellently against ticks. Well against gnats, mosquitoes and blackflys. Remember, it is deadly to cats. I do not know about birds... Cotton, nylon, wool, and perhaps other cloths are your best bet. 

DEET is a repellant. It is not an insecticide, well, slightly. It is oily, but washes out easily. Otherwise, it stays for a few months. It dissipates very slowly. It also attacks some plastics. The plastic case on a Steripen is one type as was the case on a cheap camera. It does not attack nylon or poly. So, your tent and rain gear should be safe. It generally depends on how hungry the critters are...a cloud of starving mosquitoes will NOT be stopped by DEET alone. But you might stop 80% of them from biting. In lower numbers, it usually works well on most bugs. 

I have been in the middle of blackfly/Mosquito season in the ADK's and only got 2 bites in a week using a tarp. Soo, using both together is very effective. However, Deerflies don't seem to be bothered by chemicals. Not sure why. Bee's are not bothered by the chemicals, either. Permethrin will kill them, but not before they bite/sting.

	My thoughts only . . .
		jdm