GB2169805A - Pesticidal device - Google Patents

Abstract

A pesticidal device comprises a support material which is associated with a pesticidal substance and having means for attachment of the support material directly onto the surface of a locus. The attachment means comprises at least one formation adapted to retain the support material on the surface of the locus over a period of time by directly gripping and/or entangling with the surface of the locus. The support material may be separate from the attachment means or integral with it. Attachment means include barbed plastics materials such as hook piled materials, clips and plastics strips with cuts, notches and/or protrusions therein.

Description

SPECIFICATION Pesticidal device This invention relates to a pesticidal device and to a method of applying pesticides to a locus.

More particularly, it relates to applying a pesticide to a locus over an extended period of time.

Methods and device for applying a pesticide to a locus over an extended period of time are known. In the case of household animals, we are aware of the existence of dog collars which are impregnated with insecticide for killing pests on animals such as various insects. They comprise a support in the form of a textile tape, strip of plastics or the like, which is impregnated with insecticide, and a closing means for the end of the tape comprising a buckle or male and female strips of "Velcro" (Registered Trade Mark) at the end. Such collars have to be attached around the neck of the animal. Whereas they are satisfactory for dealing with pests in that locus, they are not designed to be applied to other parts of animals eg the tail or crutch portion of animals, particularly fleecy animals such as sheep, or along the backline of animals or to the feathers of birds.The locus in which they can be used is therefore limited to the neck.

Devices have also been designed to deal over an extended period of time with pests in the house, Thus, strips of insecticide-impregnated polyvinyl chloride have been used to kill household pests. These strips usually have to be hung from ceiling or placed on a horizontal surface. The locus in which they can be used is therefore limited.

With animals in the field, it is usual to spray or dip them from time to time. Such spraying or dipping can be used to prevent and/or control attacks by pests on the animal. Treatment of animals in this way to protect their tail or crutch portions is important. A further important area is to protect is the backline.

To deal with pests around the tail or crutch portion of an animal, such as a sheep, liquid or powdered insecticides are usually used. The time period for which these act at the site of attack is limited due to the liquid or powder nature of the insecticide as it easily can degrade, be washed off or rubbed off. Also it sometimes does not adequately penetrate the fleece of fleecy animals such as sheep. It would be desirable to provide a method and device which can be used over a substantial period on animals or birds to protect them from attack by pests.

Another area where there is a need for a long acting pesticide is in buildings, particularly the home, where a locus has to be protected but the locus is not a horizontal surface or a situation where a pesticidal strip can be hung.

We have now provided an invention which overcomes or reduces the limitations of the prior art known to us.

The present invention provides a pesticial device comprising a support in material association with a pesticidal substance and having means for attachment of the support material directly onto the surface of locus, said attachment means comprising at least one formation adapted to retain the pesticidal substance in close contact with the surface of the locus by directly gripping and/or entangling with the surface of the locus.

Preferably, the pesticidal substance is in association with the support material by being impregnated therein, coated thereon or provided in a reservoir adjacent thereto. The pesticide may be released from such a reservoir by leaking through a semi-permeable membrane or by capillary action along a wick, and so on.

The invention also provides a method of controlling and/or killing pests on a locus which comprises applying directly onto the locus a device as defined herein and causing the attachment means to grip and/or entangle with the surface of the locus.

With the present invention the support material which is associated with the pesticidal material is brought into close contact with the surface of the locus, eg the fleece of an animal that may harbour insects, at a desired part thereof and is retained in position over a period of time.

In all of the embodiments of the invention, the attachment means grips the surface of the locus by entanglement and/or with other gripping formations projecting from and/or formed within the body of the attachment means.

The support material may for example be a flexible plastics material, such as a rod, strip, or the like which is impregnated with the pesticide. The rod, strip or the like may be of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and the pesticide can be exuded from the PVC over a substantial period of time.

The rod, strip or the like may be prepared by injection moulding or extrusion. Alternatively, the support material may, for example be a length of suitable tape or threads, or an area of textile material of any desired shape, or the like.

The device is itself attachable by direct attachment onto the surface of the locus. It can be applied to a desired substantially vertical surface around the tail or crutch portion of an animal (such as a sheep), to the feathers of a bird or the like, or to another locus and be retained at that locus for a substantial time. For example, it may be attached along the back portion of the animal. It is attached directly onto the of the surface and is not passed around the neck of an animal like a collar or through the hide or skin of an animal (eg the ear of the animal like an ear tag). For example, in the case of a sheep, the attachment means is conveniently attached directly to the fleece of the animal. This may be by means of attachment means entangling with the fleece.

The impregnation or coating of the support material with pesticide (eg a suitable insecticide) may be carried out in any suitable manner. For example, surface impregnation (i.e. coating) may be effected. Alternatively impregnation of the whole or a part of the area or thickness of the support material with a solid, liquid or gaseous-borne pesticide may be carried out. Alternatively a mixture of the pesticide and a plastics material may be extruded to a desired shape, eg a rod, strip, filamentary threads, or the like.

The pest may be any insect, tick, or the like, for example a fly, wasp, bee, ant, flea, cockroach, mosquito, mite, fish moth, keds, lice or blowfly. Thus the pesticide may be an insecticide, acaricide or the like. The invention is especially useful for treating adult and immature blowflies, and eggs thereof, including insects belonging to the genus Lucilia or other species, on animals, particularly fleecy animals such as sheep or goats. The invention can also be used in the treatment of other domestic animals such as horses, cattle, dogs, cats and goats, as well as birds such as poultry, etc. The treatment may include the expelling, the controlling, the killing, etc of adults, immatures and eggs of the pests, including larval, nymphal and egg stages.

In addition to use on animals, the device according to the invention can also be used on any other suitable surface, such as objects in the house, to attack household pests. Thus, the device may for example be attached to curtains, lampshades, carpets, cupboards, clothing, etc. The device is self-supporting on the locus, i.e. it is self-attachable to it. Thus it may for example be in the form of a barbed strip, tape or the like capable of direct attachment to the locus by entanglement therewith.

The attachment menas may comprise a plurality of barbs (aiternatively known as pronged barbs or a hooked piie, or the like) adapted to be attached to the locus, eg to an animal, or to a material having loops to receive the pronged barbs, or to some suitable material, eg curtains, lampshades, carpets, clothing or the like. The support material may be integral with the attachment means, or the support mateial and attachment means may be supplied separately. The support material and attachment means may be held together, temporarily or permanently as desired, eg by staples, adhesive, or the like.

One type of attachment means comprises a flexible support having barbs protruding from one side thereof. A form of such material is the hooked-piled synthetic plastics material sold under the Registered Trademark "Velcro", by Velcro of Zanzer, held Grisons of Switzerland. This generally is sold as a two-layered material comprising a male and a female portion. The male portion has pronged barbs in the form of hooks protruding therefrom whereas the female portion has eyes to receive the hooks. The female portion may be replaced by any fabric into which the hooks can be attached. With the present invention, some embodiments can use just the male portion whereas other embodiments require both the male and the female portions, as is described in more detail below. For convenience barbed strips are sometimes referred to below as "Velcro" strips as these are commercially available to us.

Another type of attachment means may comprise a plurality of clips capable of being attached directly to the surface of the locus, eg the fleece of a sheep or hair of a hairy animal.

As a further type of attachment means, the support material, conveniently in the form of a flexible plastics material provided with the pesticide, may itself have other formation means for enabling it to be attached directly to the exterior surface of the locus. For example any other formation, capable of entangling with the wool of a sheep, hair of an animal, or the like can be used.

In one embodiment of the present invention the support material is the form of an elongate flexible rod (such as an extruded strip or the like), of plastics material impregnated with insecticide. This can be held against the desired part of the animal or bird, a household object, article of furnishing or the like by means of a plurality of suitable attachment means, such as strips of plastics material having barbs extending therefrom (eg "Velcro"). If desired, just the male portion of a strip of "Velcro" can be used for attaching the flexible pesticidal support material to, for example, an animal having a fleece or sufficient hair, or to the feathers of a bird or to fabrics or other furnishing.Alternatively the flexible pesticidal plastics support material is attached to the fleece, hair, feathers or fabrics or other furnishing by means of both the male and the female "Velcro" parts, with the flexible pesticidal plastics material being held against the animal, bird, fabrics, other furnishing or the like by a stirrup of both "Velcro" parts attached together and gripped to the fleece, hair, feathers, fabrics, other furnishings or the like. Conveniently, several spaced apart stirrups of "Velcro" can be used.

Alternatively, the flexible support material which is impregnated with the pesticidal substance can form a central portion of the device, and the attachment means can be provided around the edges thereof, i.e. similar to an adhesive plaster used for applying to human wounds. In this embodiment, the male portion of "Velcro" or the like is attached directly to the fleece or hairs of the animal or feathers of the bird, or the fabric, other furnishing or the like as well as being integral with or removably attached to the flexible support material.

In a second embodiment the attachment means itself may be integral with and be part of the flexible plastics material provided with the pesticide. The attachment means described above can be used. Thus the barbed attachment mans may themselves be integral with the support material which is provided with the pesticide. In the case of "Velcro", the male portion and/or the female portion (if the latter is used as well) may be integrally attached by a suitable adhesive or the like to a flexible plastics support material which is impregnated with and/or coated with the pesticide.

In the embodiment involving a barbed attachment means, one or two "Velcro" strips can be used, i.e. just the male part or both the male and a female parts of the "Velcro" strip. At least one of these two parts can be impregnated with the pesticide or fixedly attached to a support containing the pesticide. The male and female parts can be attached together with some of the locus between them, or the male part can just be used and be attached to the locus. If desired a "Velcro" strip (either male or female) which incorporates a support material and the insecticide can be removed after a time and replace by a fresh impregnated strip. The invention therefore also provides "Velcro" strips having a support material integral therewith and impregnated with and/or coated with a pesticide. They may be used as refill strips.The support material may be attached to the back of the "Velcro" strips by a suitable adhesive, eg a rubbery adhesive which does not set rigid.

In another embodiment, a flexible plastics material provided with the pesticide may have such formations as notches or cuts in it and/or protrusions projecting from it capable of being entangled with a fleecy animal, such as a sheep to retain the flexible strip in a desired position, eg around the crutch area of a sheep or, more preferably, along the back of the sheep.

In a further embodiment, the flexible plastic material provided with the pesticide may have attachment means comprising clips, pegs or the like capable of being attached to, for example, the fleece of a sheep. The clips, pegs or the like can be of any desired shape. We have found that umbilical clips or similar clips can be used. This embodiment has the advantage that the plastics material stands proud of the sheep, and pests such as blowflies land on the plastics material, apparently as a "landing zone" supported above the surface of the wool. A pesticide present in or on the plastics material can kill or disorientate the blowflies before they can lay eggs.

In a still further embodiment the flexible plastics material comprises a plurality of strands of flexible plastics material impregnated with and/or coated with the pesticidal substance and extending from an attachment means, eg of the types described above. The strands may then form a "horse's tail" which brushes against the rear of the animal. A length of plastics material having barbs extending from a surface thereof or one or more clips can be used as the attachment means for the "horse's tail".

The pesticide used to impregnate the flexible plastics material may be in liquid or powder form, as convenient. It may be applied to the flexible plastics material during the manufacture thereof of after manufacture thereof. It is also possible to use micro-encapsulated formulations or extended strips instead of powders or solutions. If desired, the exterior of the flexible plastics material can be coded to identify to a user what insecticide or other pesticide is present.

When using an extruded rod or the like of plastics material impregnated with pesticide, means can be provided for attaching the rod or the like more securely to the attachment means, eg using stapling, adhesive or the like between the rod or the like and the attachment means.

The invention can be used to expel, disorientate, repel, kill, knock-down, reduce or control ticks, fleas, ants, flies, blowflies, beetles, lice, mites, or the like. If desired, the device provided by the invention can be replenished or can be a throw-away device. It can be used to control flies, wasps, bedbugs, bees, beetles, fish moths, cockroaches, ants, mosquitoes and the like in the house, or in other buildings such as shops, abattoirs, restaurants and entertainment areas. It can also be used in or near poultry houses, piggeries, sheep and cattle feedlots and indeed where any animal or birds are kept for domestic and/or commercial purposes.

The invention is particularly suitable for applying and securing an elongated plastics material provided with insecticide around the hindquarters, eg rump or crutch areas, of sheep, where crutchstrike caused by blowfly infestation is common. Also, the plastics material can be shaped or bent to follow the backline (centreline) of the animal from shoulders to the tail to prevent body blowfly strike. As indicated above, the flexible plastics material containing the insecticide may be attached by mean of a plurality of spaced apart strips of flexible self-supporting attachment means gripping the woollen fleece between them.

The invention can be used for holding an insecticide against a horse, eg by first providing a harness around the horse and to which the device can be attached, applying an insecticide to the back of an animal, or feathers of a bird such as a pigeon, by attaching the device in those positions or attaching the device to the ears or suitably surfaced ear tags inserted into the ears of animals. The invention may also be used to protect humans, eg by applying the device to a suitable part thereof, eg around the legs or to clothing, especially trouser legs or socks. This can be particularly suitable for persons who will be exposed to pests. Furthermore, if desired the invention can be used for affixing pesticidal material to clothing such as boots or hats, to textile furnishing such as curtains, to tents, etc where it is desired to control or kill plant pests with the pesticidal material.

Any suitable pesticide can be used, the actual pesticide being determined by the locus.

Examples are synthetic pyrethroids especially pyrethoids of the formula:

wherein M is

and wherein X1 to X4 are independently selected from halo, C,-C4 alkyl, halogen-substituted C1-C4 alkyl, and halogen-substituted phenyl; Xs is -H or halo; Preferred pyrethroids are those in which M is

where X and X2 are independently selected from chloro and bromo; X5 is -H or halo; and R1 is -H or cyano.

Examples of pyrethroid insecticides are alphamethrin, deltamethrin, permethrin, phenothrin, cyfluthrin, cyphenothrin, tralomethrin, tralocythrin, cyhalothrin, flumethrin and cypermethrin, as well as mixtures containing pyrethroids, eg mixtures of deltamethrin and diazinon, cyhalothrin and diazinon and deltamethrin and diflubenzuron.

Other insecticides, which are adulticides and larvicides, can also be used. These includes organophosphates (eg diazinon, dichlorofenthion, chlorfenvinphos fenchlorphos and pirimiphos ethyl); insect growth regulators (larvicides) such as diflubenzuron ("Dimilin"), cyromazine ("Vetrazin"); as well as amidines, carbamates, thioureas, etc.

The pesticidal devices provided by the invention can be marked and/or colour coded to identify the pesticide and/or the animal treated and/or the data of attachment to the animal, and the like.

The invention is illustrated in non-limiting manner by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1 to 3 show embodiments utilising a barbed attachment means which was hooked projections extending therefrom and is sold under the Registered Trademark "Velcro" Figure 4 shows an embodiment in which an insecticidal support material is in the form of a strip which cuts in it for attachment to the fleece of a sheep, Figure 5 shows an embodiment where an insecticidal support material is in the form of a flexible strip which is attachable by a clip, and Figure 6 shows a further embodiment of a barbed attachment means attached to a sheep and retaining a flexible insecticidal support against the animal.

In Fig. 1, a male strip of "Velcro" 10 has barbs 12 in the form of plastics hooks projecting from one face thereof. The opposite face 14 of the device illustrated has a layer of flexible plastics material, which is impregnated with insecticide, attached to it by a flexible adhesive. A rubberised adhesive such as "BOSTIK" (Registered Trade Mark) can be used. In use, this length of Velcro will be attached directly to the exterior of an animal, such as the fleece of a sheep, or to feathers of a bird. The attachment can be to the outer surface of the fleece or, preferably, to the fleece at a position beneath the outer surface.

In Fig. 2, a length of Velcro shown generally at 20 is a male strip having barbs 22 in the form of hooks on one side thereof. A female strip of Velcro 24 has loops 26 on one side thereof adapted to be contacted with and make engagement with the barbs 22. The outer surfaces 28, 28.1 of the two parts of the device illustrated are PVC support strips impregnated with an insecticide. They are attached to the back of the Velcro by a rubberised adhesive. Alternatively, only one part of the Velcro may have an insecticidal support strip attached to it. Replacement strips of the Velcro having the insecticidal support strip attached may be supplied. The Velcro shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is, of course, a flexible plastics material. In use, a portion of the animal's fleece is trapped between the male and female strips 20, 24.

Referring to Fig. 3, a sheep shown generally at 30 has a flexible strip of PVC support material 32 which is impregnated with pesticide attached to the fleece thereof by lengths 34, 34.1 etc of Velcro. Either single male lengths of Velcro can attach the support material 32 directly to the fleece, preferably beneath the outer surface, or both male and female strips of Velcro can be used. The PVC support material is flexible and is impregnated during manufacture with pesticide.

Replacement PVC strips may be provided. Ends 36, 36.1 of the support material 32 hang down between the back legs of the sheep and brush against the insides thereof as the sheep moves, thereby causing insecticide to be applied to the insides of the legs of the sheep over a considerable length of time. In this way, very good protection against crutch attack has been obtained. In a similar manner, a strip of the flexible plastics material 32, impregnated with insecticide, may be applied along the back line of the sheep by attachment to the fleece with Velcro, desirably below the outer surface of the fleece. The sheep can be protected against back line attack in this manner.

In Fig. 4, an extruded strip 50 of polyvinyl chloride impregnated with insecticide has a plurality of cuts 52, 52.1 etc formed in it. The cuts may have smooth edges, saw-toothed edges, curved edge or the like. The strip 50 is impregnated with insecticide. In use, the strip 50 is bent or pulled to open cuts 52, 52.1 etc and the strip can be applied around the crutch areas of the sheep. The wool of the sheep passes through the cuts 52, 52.1 etc. When pressure on the strip is removed, the cuts close up gripping the wool between then and thereby holding the strip in position. A further strip can be applied along the backline of the animal. Suitable sized samples of this embodiment may be applied to larger animals such as cattle, horses and goats or to smaller living creatures such as birds.

In Fig. 5, a plastics strip 60 is a flexible support material which is impregnated with insecticide. Clips 62, 62.1 and 62.2 have curved portions 64, 64.1 and 64.2 adapted to fit around the strip 60 and to support it. The clips also have toothed-edges, gripping portions 66 which are forced towards each other. In order to apply the strip 60, the clips 62, 62. 1 62.2 are attached to groups of strands of wool of a sheep around its crutch with the wool passing between the portions 66, 66. 1 and 66.2. The clips hold the strip 60 in place in a manner projecting from the fleece of the sheep. The strip 60 provides a "landing strip" for blowflies or the like which pick up insecticide from the impregnated strip 60 and thereby kills or disorientates the blowflies before they are able to lay eggs around the crutch of the sheep.The strip of flexible support materal hangs down against the inside of the legs of the sheep in a similar manner to that illustrated in Fig. 3 and so gives protection in the areas where attacks by pests can occur.

In Fig. 6, a sheep shown generally at 70 has a length of flexible Velcro 72 attached to its fleece above its tail. The attachment conveniently can be below the outer surface of the fleece.

Insecticide impregnated threads 74 depend downwardly from the length of Velcro 72 to well below the crutch area. As the animal moves, the threads 74 brush against the sheep and distribute insecticide on it, especially on the inside of the back legs. The Velcro may be replaced by clips or the like, eg of the type illustrated in Fig. 5, or by a strip attachment as illustrated in Fig. 4.

As indicated above, any suitable insecticide can be used, for example detamethrin or cyhalothrin which are fast acting insecticides.

EXAMPLES The following non-limiting Examples are given to illustrate examples of actual strips which are suitable for use according to this invention: Example 1 Example 2 Active Ingredient Deltamethrin 3,02 Cyhalothrin 3,4 PVC 58,18 57,8 Plasticizer 35,0 35,0 Heat Stabilizer 1,6 1,6 Stearic Acid 0,2 0,2 Epoxidised Soya Bean Oil 2,0 2,0 (Al Stabilizer) Example 3 Example 4 Active Ingredient Deltamethrin 3,02 Diazinon 26,31 biazinon 26,31 PVC 41,87 44,89 Plasticizer 25,0 25,0 Heat Stabilizer 1,6 1,6 Stearic Acid 0,2 0,2 Epoxidised Soya Bean Oil 2,0 2,0 (Al Stabilizer) The PVC, plasticizer and heat stabilizer were mixed together and heated to about 115"C, when they became fluffy.The active ingredient was added and the temperature was increased to about 125"C. The mixture was cooled and the composition extruded into flexible rods. Good protection was obtained against insects when the rods were attached to sheep, eg using clips or Velcro.

Field tests were carried out with the embodiments illustrated and with controls. In the embodiment of Fig. 3, the plastics support material 32 was merely stabled to the Velcro 34. The method of retaining the parts of the device together was adequate. Alternatively, adhesive could be used for retaining the parts together. After more than 15 weeks in the field, the device illustrated remained in position. This is especially encouraging as a maximum protection of about only 6 to 10 weeks is obtainabie by spraying a jet of insecticide onto a sheep. Thus, effectively a season's protection from pests has been possible with the device of Fig. 3. The sheep being tested also has a strip of the pesticidal support material 32 attached along the backline by Velcro over this period.It was still in position and gave protection after more than 15 weeks.

Other sheep were tested with the embodiments of Figs. 4 and 5. The embodiment of Fig. 5 was retained well and gave very good protection against crutch strike after about 15 weeks as the clips 62, once closed, hold the strip 60 in place with the ends hanging down against the insides of the back legs of the sheep. The embodiment of Fig. 4 gave good protection along the back line.

Initial tests with the embodiment of Fig. 6 indicate that effective protection against pests over a substantial period of time will be available.

In all the tests the attachment means anchored the pesticidally active support member from a position on the interior of the fleece i.e. to the short wool. In this way, the attachment means could not be removed easily by the animal rubbing against a fixed object.

When Velcro was used, the strips were about ScmX5cm.

The relative size and weight of the support material and the size and selection of the attachment means will vary for different uses. Suitable sizes and weights can be decided upon by simple experimentation.

Claims (19)

1. A pesticidal device comprising a support material in association with a pesticidal substance and having means for attachment of the support material directly onto the surface of a locus, said attachment means comprising at least one formation adapted to retain the support material on the surface of the locus by directly gripping and/or entangling with the surface of the locus.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support material is a flexible rod or strip.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the attachment means comprises at least one strip of material having at least one barb extending from a surface thereof.

4. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the attachment means comprises at least one clip capable of being attached directly to the surface of the locus.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support material which is associated with the pesticidal substance is integral with the attachment means and wherein the attachment means comprises a plurality of barbs extending from one surface thereof and capable of entangling with the surface of the locus.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support material which is associated with the pesticidal substance has at least one notch or cut in it and/or protrusion projecting from it capable of entangling with the surface of a fleecy animal.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support material comprises a plurality of strands of flexible plastics material impregnated with and/or coated with the pesticidal substance and wherein these strands extend from an attachment means capable of gripping the surface of the locus.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the attachment means comprises a length of plastics material having barbs extending from a surface thereof, or one or more clips.

9. A pesticidal device comprising a first flexible support having a plurality of barbs or loops extending from one side thereof, and a second flexible plastics support which is associated with a pesticidal substance, said second flexible plastics support being capable of being attached to the barbs or loops of the first flexible plastics support with a portion of the fleece, hair or feathers of an animal trapped therebetween.

10. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support which is associated with the pesticidal substance forms a central portion of the device and the attachment means is provided around the edges thereof.

11. A device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the pesticidal substance comprises a synthetic pyrethroid, an organophosphate, an insect growth regulator, an amidine, a carbamate or a thiourea.

12. A device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the pesticidal substance is a synthetic pyrethroid of the formula:

wherein M is

and wherein X, to X4 are independently selected from halo, C1-C alkyl, halogen-substituted C1-C4 alkyl, and halogen-substituted phenyl; X5 is -H or halo; R, is -H or cyano; and R2 is halogen-substituted phenyl;

13. A device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the synthetic pyrethroid is selected from deltamethrin, permethrin, phenothrin, cyfluthrin, cyphenothrin, tralomethrin, tralocythrin, cyhalothrin, flumethrin or cypermethrin.

14. A method of controlling and/or killing pests on a locus, which comprises applying directly onto the surface of the locus, a device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 13 to cause the device to grip and/or entangle with the surface of the locus.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the locus is a fleecy or hairy animal, clothing or a textile furnishing.

16. A method of controlling and/or killing pests on a fleecy or hairy animal which comprises applying to the surface of fleece or hair a device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 13 so that the device is attached directly to the fleece or hair.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the device is attached to the fleece of a sheep.

18. A process for preparing a pesticidal article comprising forming an article according to claim 1.

19. An article substantially as described herein with reference to any of the accompanying drawings.