Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis, also known as Bti, is a biological control agent for larval mosquitoes. It is a bacterial disease that creates toxins that are effective in killing a few species of Diptera, including mosquitoes and midges, while having almost no other effects on other species. Indeed this is one of the major advantages of Bt products in general - they have very few, if any, non-targets effects.

Bti strains possess the pBtoxis plasmid which encodes numerous Cry and Cyt toxins, including Cry4, Cry10, Cry11, Cyt1 and Cyt2. The crystal which these toxins form contains at least four major toxic components but the extent to which each Cry and Cyt protein is represented is not known and likely to vary with strain and formulation.

It is sold to the public under the name "Mosquito Dunks" or "Mosquito Bits." It is also available in bulk liquid or granular formulations for commercial and public agency use.

This is a link to the Fact Sheet for BTI: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/biopesticides/ingredients/factsheets/factsheet_006476.htm

Patent Information:

United States Patent 4,166,112 Inventor: Goldberg; Leonard J. 1979 ^*

For more information about ONR-60A or BTI as it is now called the best source is the US Patent Office. Leonard J. Goldberg discovered BTI and patented this agent in 1979. Over the years this discovery may have saved more lives than any other discovery to date. Mosquitos can carry a parasite that causes malaria in humans. Malaria is one of the largest killers of humans worldwide.

Please see the; Malaria Foundation International for more information about Malaria.

Bacillaceae | Insecticides | Biological pest control