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Sevin (Carbaryl) Insecticide
- An older, carbamate insecticide -
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Summary: Carbaryl, the active ingredient in Sevin insecticide, belongs to one of the older classes of insecticides called carbamates. As a group carbamates are only moderately toxic to mammals and are still widely used by gardeners. There are now, however, lower toxicity alternatives for Sevin that gardens can use.
Jack DeAngelis, PhD
OSU Ext. Entomologist (ret.)
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What is Sevin insecticide?
 Sevin is the trade name for a widely used synthetic insecticide containing the active ingredient carbaryl. Carbaryl belongs to the chemical class called carbamates. As insecticides go Sevin is only moderately toxic to mammals and is still widely used in gardens and landscapes. It is, however, highly toxic to honey bees and many other beneficial insects and mites.
Sevin is sold as a powder (dust), granule, and liquid concentrate. Uses include vegetable gardens, landscape plants, lawns, tree fruits and small fruits. The target pest list is generally broad and includes many common insect and mite pests.
While Sevin insecticide can be used safely we believe there are safer alternatives that also avoid the harmful effects that broad spectrum chemicals, like carbaryl, can have on benefical species.
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chemical structrure of carbaryl; drawing from wikipedia
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Finding alternatives to Sevin
No insecticide is 100% safe; after all the whole purpose of any pesticide is to kill something. Insecticide safety can be judged, however, on three basic criteria: acute toxicity to mammals (and this includes us), acute toxicity to beneficial species like parasitic wasps and predatory insects, and residual activity, or how long the insecticide remains toxic after application.
Sevin is particularly hazardous to honey bees because the particles of insecticide resemble pollen and can be carried back to the hive. Be especially careful, therefore, to avoid using carbaryl around flowering plants. Clover, for example, should be mowed prior to application of Sevin. Otherwise, Sevin is only moderately toxic when compared to older synthetic insecticides.
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Alternatives to synthetic insecticides for gardeners
Biorational insecticides (low mammalian toxicity, low impact on beneficials, plus eco-friendly) like insecticidal soap, horticultural oils, neem oil and microbial insecticides are safer to apply, very effective and much less damaging to beneficial species than Sevin. You can use insecticidal soap on any soft bodied pest like aphids and spider mites, neem oil on pests that chew on leaves, horticultural oil on eggs and small larvae such as codling moth, and microbial insecticides like spinosad on caterpillar pests. See Related Articles below for more information.
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Mission: To provide accurate, up-to-date and unbiased information for solving common insect and mite problems around your home, business and landscape using least-toxic methods.
Jack DeAngelis, Ph.D.
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