The label is the law. Rates and restrictions below are taken from the product labels listed under Sources. Your product's own label governs; read it before you mix or apply. Mixing calculator · Disclaimer
- Active ingredient
- Fenpropathrin
- Chemical class
- Pyrethroid; IRAC Group 3A sodium channel modulators. Its partner here, acephate, is an organophosphate in Group 1B, so the can carries two modes of action.[3][1]
- Mode of action
- IRAC Group 3A: Sodium channel modulators: pyrethroids and pyrethrins[3]
- Signal word
- Whitmire TC 136 (sold as Tame/Orthene TR Total Release Insecticide): Warning[1]
Fire and plant-safety cautions
The propellant is highly flammable and can cause a fire or explosion if misused. Don't use it in greenhouses with unvented or defective gas heaters.[1]
Tightly closing a greenhouse can raise heat or humidity enough to harm plants, and the label says good greenhouse management overrides fogging then. Test a few plants before a full treatment.[1]
Why this product, and the restricted-use alternatives
The label calls this fogger for indoor use on ornamental plants in commercial greenhouses only. It is a professional tool, not a home product.[1]
Tame 2.4 EC, the fenpropathrin-only spray for commercial ornamentals, is a restricted use pesticide due to toxicity to fish and aquatic organisms. Only certified applicators or people they directly supervise may buy and use it.[2]
Where it is used
Apply when you see the pest or its typical damage. Fog 1 to 3 times a week depending on severity, with at least 48 hours between treatments.[1]
Early evening works best, with dry foliage and temperatures of 60 to 80°F. Shut exhaust fans and close all doors, windows and vents first.[1]
Keep cans at room temperature, above 65°F, for 24 hours before use. Start with the can farthest from the exit, press the tab to lock it, and leave at once.[1]
Spread cans evenly so the fog isn't blocked by foliage. Keep each can at least 10 feet from pilot lights, open flames or cycling electrical equipment.[1]
Products and registrations
| Product | Registrant | EPA Reg. No. | Active % | Formulation | Signal word |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitmire TC 136 (sold as Tame/Orthene TR Total Release Insecticide)[1] | BASF Agricultural Solutions US LLC | 499-441 | 1.0% | total release aerosol (with 1.5% acephate) | Warning |
Label rates
| Product | Use | Pests | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitmire TC 136 (sold as Tame/Orthene TR Total Release Insecticide) | Ornamental plants in commercial greenhouses: bedding plants, cut flowers, hanging baskets, foliage and potted flowering plants | Aphids, cabbage loopers, cankerworms, fall webworms, fungus gnats, lace bugs, leafminers, leafrollers, lygus bugs, mealybugs, scale, spider mites, tent caterpillars, thrips and whiteflies | 1 16 oz can per 1,500 to 3,000 sq ft of greenhouse[1] The standard dose is one can per 3,000 sq ft. Dense crops or hard-to-kill insects allow one can per 1,500 sq ft. Never use it in a greenhouse smaller than 900 sq ft. |
Safety and environmental hazards
People
Signal word WARNING: causes substantial but temporary eye injury and is harmful if swallowed or absorbed through skin. The acephate in it is an organophosphate that inhibits cholinesterase.[1]
Pets
All people and pets must be out of the greenhouse before the cans go off. Workers stay out for a 24-hour restricted-entry interval, and the house must be ventilated before reentry.[1]
Bees and pollinators
This label has no bee statement; the fog is released inside closed commercial greenhouses.[1]
Fish and water
The label's environmental direction is not to contaminate water, food or feed through storage or disposal.[1]
Common questions
- How many Tame/Orthene TR cans do I need?
- One 16 oz can per 3,000 sq ft of greenhouse, or one per 1,500 to 3,000 sq ft when insects are hard to control or plants are dense.[1]
- When can workers go back into a fogged greenhouse?
- After the 24-hour restricted-entry interval, and only once the greenhouse has been ventilated as the Worker Protection Standard requires.[1]
- What mode of action is fenpropathrin?
- IRAC Group 3A, the pyrethroid sodium channel modulators. Acephate, the second active in this fogger, is Group 1B.[3]
Sources
- U.S. EPA Pesticide Product Label System, “Whitmire TC 136 (Tame/Orthene TR) label, EPA Reg. No. 499-441 (EPA-stamped, Aug. 20, 2013).” www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/000499-00441-20130820.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06). The fenpropathrin-only products on EPA's site (Tame 2.4 EC, Danitol 2.4 EC) are Restricted Use, so this general-use greenhouse fogger, which pairs fenpropathrin with acephate, is used here.
- U.S. EPA Pesticide Product Label System, “Tame 2.4 EC Spray label, EPA Reg. No. 59639-77 (EPA-stamped, Dec. 15, 2025).” www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/059639-00077-20251215.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)