Insecticide Including Powdered Boric Acid

This invention is directed to the combination of sucrose octa-acetate or Bitrex, a trademarked product composed of denatonium benzoate, and a non-white pigment to a mixture of powdered boric acid and magnesium stearate, silica gel or tricalcium phosphate. It has been found that sucrose octa-acetate is compatible with boric acid powder. Further, it has been found that sucrose octa-acetate when combined with boric acid and magnesium stearate, silica gel or tricalcium phosphate does not render the mixture hydrophilic. It is most important that the mixture not have an affinity for water, which renders a composition ineffective where the humidity may reach high levels for example, as the addition of water to the combination causes the mixture to cake after it has dried out and thereby substantially diminish its effectiveness.

Preferably, the insecticide mixture comprises at least 95% by weight boric acid, less than 5% by weight of a member selected from the group of magnesium stearate, silica gel or tricalcium phosphate, and sucrose octa-acetate or Bitrex and powdered pigment concentrations of less than 1% by weight. Further, it is preferred that the powdered pigment be of a blue color and that the boric acid have a particle size of approximately 100 to 400 mesh.

The blue color of the pigment helps to prevent inadvertent consumption of the insecticide of this invention as it distinguishes the insecticide from common household food items such as flour, sugar or salt. Sucrose octa-acetate and Bitrex while not diminishing the effectiveness of the insecticide have been found to exhibit a taste which is repulsive to humans or domestic animals thereby preventing inadvertent consumption of a quantity of insecticide which would render harm.

Having described this invention in detail, it is understood that modification obvious to those skilled in the art may be made to this invention without the prior art and the scope of the appended claims which follow.