The label is the law. Read your product's label before you mix or apply; the rates here come from the labels listed under Sources.
- Active ingredient
- Acetamiprid (CAS 135410-20-7)
- Chemical class
- Neonicotinoid; IRAC Group 4A nicotinic acetylcholine receptor competitive modulators.[2]
- Mode of action
- IRAC Group 4A: Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) competitive modulators: neonicotinoids[2]
- Signal word
- Ortho Flower, Fruit & Vegetable Insect Killer (concentrate): Caution[1]
Rotating modes of action
Acetamiprid shares IRAC Group 4A with imidacloprid, dinotefuran, thiamethoxam and clothianidin; rotating to a different group helps slow resistance.[2]
Where it is used
Apply as soon as insect problems appear; don't spray when wind exceeds 10 mph or where spray will contact people or pets.[1]
Labeled crops include leafy greens, tomatoes and peppers, potatoes, cucurbits, beans and peas, pome and stone fruits, citrus, grapes, strawberries and tree nuts, each with its own harvest interval on the label.[1]
Do not apply in or on electrical equipment.[1]
Products and registrations
| Product | Registrant | EPA Reg. No. | Active % | Formulation | Signal word |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ortho Flower, Fruit & Vegetable Insect Killer (concentrate)[1] | Nippon Soda Co., Ltd. | 8033-107 | 0.5% | concentrate | Caution |
Label rates
| Product | Use | Pests | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ortho Flower, Fruit & Vegetable Insect Killer (concentrate) | Roses, flowers, shrubs and listed fruits and vegetables | Aphids, whiteflies, beetles, caterpillars, leafhoppers, thrips, scales and other listed insects | 1.5 fl oz per gallon of water[1] On ornamentals, wait 1 to 4 weeks before reapplying and apply no more than 5 times a season. On leafy and fruiting vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers and lettuce: 7 days to harvest, 7 days between applications, at most 4 a season. |
How to apply it, step by step
1. Protective gear
- The label lists no protective gear; it says to avoid contact with skin, eyes and clothing, avoid breathing the spray mist, and wash with soap and water after handling and before eating, drinking or using the toilet.[1]
- Take off and wash any clothing the product gets on before you wear it again; the label warns that repeated skin contact may cause allergic reactions in some people.[1]
2. Before you spray
- It is for home gardens, ornamentals and houseplants only, not commercial crop production.[1]
- Outdoors, don't spray when the wind is over 10 mph, stand upwind, and spray in calm weather when no rain is forecast for 24 hours so it stays on the plants and out of storm drains and gutters.[1]
- Don't spray plants while bees are visiting them, and don't spray in or on electrical equipment.[1]
3. Mixing
- Shake the bottle gently, then mix 1.5 fl oz of concentrate per gallon of water in a tank sprayer; with the Ortho Dial 'N Spray hose-end sprayer, set the dial to 1.5 fl oz and add no water to the jar.[1]
- Houseplants are treated only with the tank-sprayer method, never with a hose-end sprayer indoors.[1]
4. Applying
- Spray as soon as you notice the insects, holding the nozzle 8 to 12 inches from the plant and covering upper and lower leaf surfaces and stems where the pests are, only until the foliage is wet.[1]
- Don't let the spray contact people, directly or by drift.[1]
- On ornamentals, roses and houseplants, wait 1 to 4 weeks before spraying again and apply no more than 5 times a season.[1]
- On leafy, fruiting, root and bulb vegetables, wait 7 days between sprays and spray no more than 4 times a season; on squash, cucumbers and melons, wait 5 days between sprays, up to 5 a season.[1]
5. After you spray
- Keep children and pets out of the sprayed area until the spray has dried.[1]
- Days to wait between the last spray and harvest: 0 for squash, cucumbers and melons; 1 for strawberries, blueberries and cane berries; 7 for most vegetables, citrus, apples and pears, grapes and stone fruit; 14 for tree nuts.[1]
- Rinse the sprayer over the treated area rather than near a drain, and clean a hose-end sprayer after each use so it doesn't clog.[1]
First aid
- On skin or clothing, take off the contaminated clothing, rinse the skin with plenty of water for 15 to 20 minutes and call a poison control center or doctor.[1]
- If inhaled, move the person to fresh air; if they aren't breathing, call 911 and give artificial respiration.[1]
- If swallowed, call a poison control center or doctor right away, have the person sip a glass of water if they can swallow, and don't induce vomiting unless told to; the label's 24-hour emergency number is 1-800-424-9300.[1]
Storage, spills and disposal
- Keep it from freezing, in its original container, in a cool, dry place, preferably locked; never in a food or drink container.[1]
- Put an empty bottle in the trash or recycling; for a partly full one, call your local solid waste agency, and never pour unused product down any drain.[1]
From the safety data sheet
- The SDS uses the signal word Warning: the concentrate is harmful if swallowed or inhaled and may cause an allergic skin reaction.[3]
- If someone breathes in the spray mist, move them to fresh air and keep them at rest, and call a poison center or physician if they feel unwell.[3]
- If someone swallows it, rinse the mouth with water, call a poison center or physician if they feel unwell, and don't induce vomiting unless medical personnel tell you to.[3]
- On skin, wash with plenty of soap and water and take off contaminated clothing, washing it before reuse; get medical attention if irritation or a rash develops; for the eyes, flush with plenty of water, lifting the lids and removing contact lenses.[3]
- Avoid breathing the vapor or mist while cleaning up a spill, and keep spills and runoff away from soil, waterways, drains and sewers.[3]
Safety and environmental hazards
People
Signal word CAUTION: harmful if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin, and repeated skin contact may cause allergic reactions in some people.[1]
Pets
Keep children and pets out of treated areas until the spray has dried.[1]
Bees and pollinators
The label says it is toxic to bees exposed to direct treatment and not to apply it while bees are actively visiting the area.[1]
Fish and water
Don't let it run off into storm drains, gutters or surface water; the label also says it is toxic to wildlife.[1]
Common questions
- How long after spraying acetamiprid can I pick tomatoes?
- The label sets 7 days between the last application and harvest for leafy and fruiting vegetables, including tomatoes and peppers.[1]
- Is acetamiprid safe for bees?
- The label states it is toxic to bees exposed to direct treatment and says not to apply it while bees are visiting the treated area.[1]
- How much do I mix?
- 1.5 fluid ounces per gallon of water, or set an Ortho Dial 'N Spray to 1.5 fl oz.[1]
Sources
- U.S. EPA Pesticide Product Label System, “Ortho Flower, Fruit & Vegetable Insect Killer (Acetamiprid Concentrate) label, EPA Reg. No. 8033-107 (EPA-stamped, Dec. 18, 2012).” www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/008033-00107-20121218.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Insecticide Resistance Action Committee, “IRAC Mode of Action Classification Scheme, Version 11.5 (Feb. 2026).” irac-online.org/documents/moa-classification/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- The Ortho Group (The Scotts Company), “Ortho Flower, Fruit & Vegetable Insect Killer Concentrate Safety Data Sheet (The Ortho Group, SDS 320000004594, version 1.4, revised December 4, 2015; EPA Reg. No. 8033-107-239, a distributor registration of the page's 8033-107 label; copy hosted on the Consumer Product Information Database, whatsinproducts.com).” whatsinproducts.com/app/webroot/files/brands_pdf/1504626940.pdf (accessed 2026-10-19)