# Benzyl Benzoate



## Jason (Oct 14, 2004)

I purchased some of this stuff to help with mites. It seems to be oily, will not mix with water and has a slight almond/mint smell to it. Is this right?


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## JERRY (Dec 14, 2004)

*It all depends*

on how old it is. How bad is the problem? JERRY


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## Jason (Oct 14, 2004)

How old? Not sure.
How bad? Nosure, but it does not seem to be affecting the production, i can just see them.

I was just wondering if I got the right stuff to keep them at bay. 

I plan to run them out in the mean time, until the temps drop and I will throw it all out and start over. Know anyone who sells them? :wink: Just kidding.

Yea, I really want to just start from scratch, but I will try a few different things since I can to see what works for me and what does not.


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## JERRY (Dec 14, 2004)

You may want to consider Tedion solution as an alternative for mite problems. JERRY


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## Ryan (Feb 18, 2004)

TEdion solution, can you exlpain how it wokrs? if im correct, the benzyl just sterilizes them correct?


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## Guest (Jul 28, 2006)

Where do you buy Benzyl Benzoate?


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## Ryan (Feb 18, 2004)

Frognathan said:


> Where do you buy Benzyl Benzoate?


http://www.flyculture.com/mite_prevention.htm


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## geckguy (Mar 8, 2004)

It is a miticide, it affects their nervous system, and will kill them. Whenever I have had a mite problem I use it as a topical spray for new cultures and it works great.


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

Can I ask why you are mixing it with water? or just adding it to your cultures? I you ad it first then the other liquid you should be ok. If you need to dilute I believe you need to use rubbing alcohol.


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## Guest (Jul 29, 2006)

Being a chemical engineering major, I have to agree with Kyle. Its an organic material so it will be oily, and also being a Benzene molecule it will not mix with water. It will only break down (go bad) if you leave it in the sun for extended periods of time or expose it to a strong acid. Hope that helps.


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## geckguy (Mar 8, 2004)

It depends on its application, if you are using it topically as a spray, you need to dilute it, unless you purchased it from a lab supply and it is a higher concentration than usually used for ffs. Ethanol is the best, but since most people don't have acess to it, isopropyl rubbing alcohol will work as well, just be sure to let the cultures sit for awhile before adding flies, to avoid any negative effects from the evaportating alcohol.


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## Jason (Oct 14, 2004)

> Can I ask why you are mixing it with water?


Yea, I was trying to dilute it. I did not know, now I just soak the paper towels in it outright.


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

Did you buy it none diluted? if so from where?


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## geckguy (Mar 8, 2004)

http://www.sciencelab.com/page/S/PVAR/SLB2080 here is one place that sells it is 99% + pure, so it needs to be diluted for use in fruit fly cultures. The CAS number is 120-51-4, you can do a search on most chemical supply websites using it. I am not sure on the diltution rate off the top of my head, but if it is .10%, that means that the 500 mL size will make 500 L of ready to use miticide, which is hopefully more than anyone would ever need.


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## Jason (Oct 14, 2004)

> Did you guy it none diluted? if so from where?


http://www.theeyeofnewt.com/store/html/ ... nzoate.asp


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

Im looking to make my own solution but does anyone know what is a good ratio?


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## rozdaboff (Feb 27, 2005)

I did a quick search, and there are a number of articles on Pubmed (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) regarding the use of Benzyl Benzoate on different species of mites.

This article used concentrations as high 0.9% diluted in 70% Ethanol.
http://www.aaem.pl/pdf/11115.htm

The solution that Derek Rader sells at FlyCulture.com is 0.1%. I am unsure which type of alcohol he uses to dilute, or what percentage.

If you buy a bottle of Isopropyl alchohol at the drugstore (typically 500ml)
add 4.5ml of Benzyl Benzoate to achieve the 0.9% concentration, or 0.5ml for the 0.1% concentration.

I am unsure what effect (if any) the higher concentration would have on the flies.


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