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
- Clothianidin (CAS 210880-92-5)
- 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
- Arena 50 WDG Insecticide: Caution[1]
Rotating modes of action on lawns
Arena 50 WDG is a professional product. Clothianidin's Group 4A mode of action is shared with imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, dinotefuran and acetamiprid, so rotating groups matters if the same pests are treated every year.[1][2]
Where it is used
For white grubs and billbugs, apply preventively through peak egg hatch; use the upper end of the rate range if applying 60 days or more before peak adult flight or egg laying, or after egg hatch when damage is already showing.[1]
Follow every turf application with enough irrigation or rain to move it through the thatch.[1]
Don't exceed 0.4 lb of clothianidin per acre per calendar year, regardless of application method.[1]
Nuisance ants on turf are covered, but not fire, harvester, carpenter or pharaoh ants; mole crickets are suppression only.[1]
Products and registrations
| Product | Registrant | EPA Reg. No. | Active % | Formulation | Signal word |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arena 50 WDG Insecticide[1] | Valent U.S.A. LLC | 59639-152 | 50.0% | water-dispersible granule | Caution |
Label rates
| Product | Use | Pests | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arena 50 WDG Insecticide | Home lawns, golf courses, parks, athletic fields and sod farms | White grubs (Japanese beetle, European chafer, masked chafers, May/June beetles), billbugs, annual bluegrass weevil, chinch bugs, armyworms, cutworms, sod webworms, crane fly | 0.1–0.29 oz product per 1,000 sq ft[1] 0.14 to 0.29 oz per 1,000 sq ft (4 to 8.3 grams) for most turf pests; a reduced 0.1 oz rate for summer white grubs applied June 1 to July 15 before egg hatch. Mix in 1 to 5 gallons of water per 1,000 sq ft. One level teaspoon holds 3 grams. |
Safety and environmental hazards
People
Signal word CAUTION: harmful if swallowed, absorbed through the skin or inhaled, and causes moderate eye irritation. Applicators wear long sleeves, long pants, shoes, socks and chemical-resistant gloves.[1]
Pets
Keep children and pets out of the treated lawn until the spray has dried.[1]
Bees and pollinators
Toxic to bees exposed to treatment and for more than 5 days afterward. On turf, don't let it contact flowering plants or weeds while bees are foraging; mowing blooming clover or dandelions first keeps it off flowers.[1]
Fish and water
Toxic to aquatic invertebrates. Don't apply where runoff is likely, directly to water, or when weather favors drift.[1]
Common questions
- When should I apply clothianidin for grubs?
- Preventively, before or through peak egg hatch of the target beetle; the label's reduced summer rate is applied between June 1 and July 15, before egg hatch.[1]
- Do I need to water it in?
- Yes. The label says to follow with enough irrigation or rainfall to move it through the thatch.[1]
- Is clothianidin harmful to bees?
- The label says it is toxic to bees exposed to treatment and for more than 5 days afterward, and not to let it contact blooming plants bees are visiting.[1]
Sources
- U.S. EPA Pesticide Product Label System, “Arena 50 WDG Insecticide label, EPA Reg. No. 59639-152 (EPA-stamped, July 23, 2021).” www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/059639-00152-20210723.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)