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
- Spinosad (spinosyns A and D) (CAS 168316-95-8)
- Chemical class
- Spinosyn, a biological insecticide produced by fermentation of a soil bacterium.[1]
- Mode of action
- IRAC Group 5: Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor allosteric modulators (spinosyns)[3]
- Signal word
- Spinosad 0.5% SC (sold as Monterey Garden Insect Spray, 62719-314-54705): none required[2]
How it works
Spinosad disrupts the central nervous system of insects and mites; pests that contact or feed on it become paralyzed and die.[1]
Spinosad is in IRAC Group 5, a different mode-of-action group from the pyrethroids (Group 3A) and carbaryl (Group 1A), so it can be rotated with them to slow resistance.[3]
Protecting bees
The risk window is the first 3 hours after a spray. During that time the label rates spinosad as highly toxic to bees and other pollinators that are sprayed directly or that touch residues on blooming crops or weeds. Its protective step is to follow the label's drift directions, which include not spraying when the weather favors drift.[2]
Where it is used
The label covers home vegetable gardens, fruit trees, nuts and grapes, lawns and ornamentals, including fire ant control in lawns, ornamentals and gardens.[2]
Spinosad works on pests that contact it or feed on treated plants, so thorough coverage matters.[1]
Products and registrations
| Product | Registrant | EPA Reg. No. | Active % | Formulation | Signal word |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spinosad 0.5% SC (sold as Monterey Garden Insect Spray, 62719-314-54705)[2] | Dow AgroSciences / Corteva; distributor Monterey Lawn & Garden | 62719-314 | 0.5% | suspension concentrate | none |
Label rates
| Product | Use | Pests | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spinosad 0.5% SC (sold as Monterey Garden Insect Spray, 62719-314-54705) | Home vegetable gardens, fruit trees, lawns and ornamentals | Caterpillars, thrips, leafminers, Colorado potato beetle, fire ants and other listed pests | 2.0 fl oz per gal of spray[2] 2 fl oz equals 4 tablespoons. In vegetable gardens, for best results do not use more than 3 gallons of spray per 1,000 sq ft; follow the crop table for application limits. |
How to apply it, step by step
1. Protective gear
- The label lists no required protective clothing. Don't measure it with kitchen utensils; keep a dedicated measuring spoon or cup with the product, away from children.[2]
2. Before you spray
- Check the label's crop table for your plant: it sets the maximum number of sprays per year, the minimum days between sprays and how many days to wait between the last spray and harvest, and these vary by crop.[2]
- Plan around pollinators: bees and other pollinating insects hit by the spray, or exposed to residues on blooming crops or weeds, are at high risk for 3 hours after treatment, and the label's drift directions are there to protect them.[2]
- Don't spray when the weather favors drift, where runoff is likely, or directly onto water or areas where surface water is present; it is toxic to aquatic invertebrates. Spraying when no rain is forecast for the next 24 hours helps reduce runoff from the treated area.[2]
3. Mixing
- Shake the bottle well, then add 2 fl oz (4 tablespoons) per gallon of water, or 1 tablespoon per quart, and mix thoroughly.[2]
- Mix only as much as you need for one treatment; in vegetable gardens, for best results use no more than 3 gallons of spray per 1,000 sq ft.[2]
4. Applying
- Use a trigger, hand-held, backpack or hose-end sprayer; a hose-end sprayer should be set to deliver about 2 fl oz of product per gallon of spray.[2]
- Spray evenly on both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves.[2]
5. After you spray
- Wait the crop table's number of days before harvesting. When you clean the sprayer, get rid of the wash water where it can't contaminate ponds, streams or other water.[2]
First aid
- The label carries no signal word and prints no first-aid section; for an emergency involving health or the environment, it gives 1-800-992-5994.[2]
Storage, spills and disposal
- Store it only in its original container in a secure or locked area, and protect it from freezing.[2]
- Put an empty bottle in the trash or recycle it; for a partly full one, call your local solid waste agency or 1-800-992-5994, and never pour leftover product down any indoor or outdoor drain.[2]
From the safety data sheet
- The SDS classifies the concentrate as an eye irritant (Category 2A, signal word Warning); it is a light brown liquid with a musty smell.[4]
- Store it in the original container in a dry place, with the lid tightly closed, away from food, drugs and drinking water, and out of reach of children.[4]
- Soak up small spills with clay, dirt or sand, sweep them into a labeled container, and keep spills out of soil, ditches, sewers and waterways, where they are likely to kill aquatic organisms.[4]
- Spinosad is highly toxic to bees by contact or ingestion (LD50 about 0.05 micrograms per bee).[4]
Safety and environmental hazards
People
This label carries no signal word and only the standard Keep Out of Reach of Children statement.[2]
Pets
The label prints no pet warning and sets no waiting period before people or animals go back onto treated areas.[2]
Bees and pollinators
The label calls spinosad highly toxic to bees and other pollinating insects that are hit directly by the spray, or exposed to residues on blooming crops or weeds, for 3 hours after treatment. It says to protect them by following its directions meant to minimize drift.[2]
Fish and water
The label says it is toxic to aquatic invertebrates. Don't apply it directly to water or where surface water is present, where runoff is likely, or when the weather favors drift, and don't contaminate water when you dispose of equipment wash water.[2]
Common questions
- How much spinosad per gallon?
- Two fluid ounces, or 4 tablespoons, per gallon of spray, according to the label.[2]
- Is spinosad safe for bees?
- Not in the first 3 hours. The label says it is highly toxic to bees and other pollinators exposed to the spray, or to residues on blooming crops or weeds, for 3 hours after treatment, and tells you to follow its directions for limiting drift.[2]
Sources
- University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Home and Landscape Pesticide Active Ingredients Database: spinosad.” ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/pesticide-active-ingredients-database/active-ingredient-details/?uaiKey=64 (accessed 2026-10-06)
- U.S. EPA Pesticide Product Label System, “Spinosad 0.5% SC label, EPA Reg. No. 62719-314 (EPA-stamped, November 3, 2026).” www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/062719-00314-20261103.pdf (accessed 2026-11-08)
- 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)
- Lawn and Garden Products, Inc., “Monterey Garden Insect Spray Safety Data Sheet (Lawn and Garden Products, Inc., issued March 22, 2019; copy hosted by labelsds.com).” labelsds.com/images/user_uploads/GardenInsect%20SDS%203-22-19.pdf (accessed 2026-10-15)