Introduction
 

Spinosad is an insecticide based on chemical compounds found in the bacterial species Saccharopolyspora spinosa. The genus Saccharopolyspora was discovered in 1985 in isolates from crushed sugarcane which produce yellowish-pink aerial hyphae, with bead-like chains of spores enclosed in a characteristic hairy sheath. This genus is defined as aerobic, Gram-positive, nonacid-fast actinomycetes with fragmenting substrate mycelium. S. spinosa was isolated from soil collected inside a nonoperational sugar mill rum still in the Virgin Islands.
Spinosad is a mixture of chemical compounds in the spinosyn family that has a generalized structure consisting of a unique tetracyclic ring system attached to an amino sugar (D-forosamine) and a neutral sugar (tri-Ο-methyl-L-rhamnose). Spinosad is relatively nonpolar and not easily dissolved in water.

For control of pest Lepidoptera (e.g. Ostrinia nubilalis,Helicoverpa zea, Trichoplusia ni, Plutella xylostella, Spodoptera spp., Heliothis spp., Pieris rapae, Keiferia lycopersicella, Lobesia botrana),thrips (e.g. Frankliniella occidentalis, Thrips palmi), flies (e.g. Liriomyzaspp., Ceratitis capitata), beetles (e.g. Leptinotarsa decemlineata) and grasshoppers in cotton,row crops, vegetables, and fruits, at 4.8-36 g/hl.Also used for urban pest control (e.g. Agrotis ipsilon, Spodopter spp., Parapediasia teterella) in turf and ornamentals, for structural control of drywood termites (e.g. Cryptotermes brevis, Incisitermes snyderi),and for fire ant (Solenopsis spp.) control. Effective as a bait for fruit flies (Ceratitis spp., Bactrocera spp., etc) and some ants (Solenopsis spp.). Under development for use on livestock animals for control of chewing and sucking lice (e.g. Linognathus vituli, Bovicola ovis, Solenopotes capillatus) and flies (e.g. Haematobia irritans, Lucilia cuprina), and in livestock premises for control of nuisance flies (e.g. Stomoxys calcitrans,Musca domestica, H. irritans).