Wild Horse Australia - Questions & Answers
What is Insect Shield?
Insect Shield® Repellent Apparel and Insect Shield® Repellent Gear are revolutionary products designed to provide long-lasting, effective and convenient insect protection. The durable protection provided by Insect Shield® apparel and gear is the result of years of research and testing. In July 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency granted registration of Insect Shield® Insect Repellent Apparel—the first-ever, EPA-registered insect-repellent clothing. Insect Shield®, the Insect Shield® brand launched to introduce its remarkable, enhanced repellent-apparel technology. Insect Shield® apparel and gear products combine the patent-pending Insect Shield® process with a proprietary formulation of the insect repellent Permethrin—resulting in effective, odourless insect protection that lasts the expected lifetime of a garment.
How does Insect Shield® work?
Permethrin acts as both an Insect Repellent and an Insecticide, depending on the insect. Some insects will not go near the treated product. Some may pass through the repellent zone and sit on the fabric. These insects will quickly become disorientated while the Permethrin acts on the neurological part of their brain that enables them to bite, blood suck and feed. Do not worry as they cannot do any harm to your horse in this state and it is only a matter of time before these insects move on and die. The time it takes for this to happen will vary, depending on the species - see knockdown test results and link to videos.
How did Permethrin originate, and what are its uses?
Permethrin is a man-made version of a natural insect repellent found in certain chrysanthemum plants. The Insect Shield® process binds a proprietary Permethrin formula tightly to fabric fibres—resulting in effective, odourless insect protection that lasts the expected lifetime of apparel. Permethrin has been successfully used in the United States as an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered product since 1977, with an excellent safety record. It is used in lice shampoos for children, flea dips for dogs, and various other products, some of which are regulated by the FDA.
Which insects does Insect Shield® stop?
Insect Shield® Repellent Gear has been proven and registered to repel mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, flies and sandflies. The EPA requires extensive effectiveness data to prove a product's ability to repel insects. Many species and varieties of these insects have been tested, including those that can carry dangerous diseases. Insect Shield® products are individually put through rigorous testing for every different fabric type. The top ten most harmful insects of each species are tested by independent laboratories and must pass before EPA approval can be given.
Tested and Proven
Insect Shield® technology results from years of intensive research and field study. Numerous studies have confirmed the effectiveness of Permethrin-treated clothing as an insect repellent. Insect Shield’s® own testing methods follow United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines, and the results conclusively show that our unique patent pending process provides long-lasting insect protection that works.
Durability - How long will the fabric keep working?
Insect Shield treated products are exceptionally durable and unique because unlike other products, the treatment has been bonded deep into the fabric fibres, instead of just being sprayed on. By using this patent pending process, we eliminate having high initial concentrations that can have dangerous overdose effects, but then wash off in a short time with rain and perspiration. The permethrin in Insect Shield® treated products is EPA-registered to last through 25 launderings—the expected lifetime of a garment. However, even after this point, testing has shown that the fabrics can retain over 80% of their effectiveness. This is also well beyond the life of most performance finishes commonly used in the technical-apparel industry.
How much protection is provided by Insect Shield®
In most cases, your Insect Shield® horse rug with Insect Shield® will provide good protection. In heavily infested areas you can get increased protection by fitting your horse with Insect Shield® leg protectors, which can help protect the lower legs and also help prevent ticks from crawling up onto your horse’s legs in heavily infested areas. Insect Shield® treated Flymasks/Hoods are also recommended in high insect areas, as they are brilliantly designed for a great fit. The hood sits further back on your horse’s neck and helps protect all key areas for your horse.
Which insects and bugs will Insect Repellent Clothing repel?
Insect Shield® Insect Repellent Apparel stop mosquitoes, ticks, ants, flies, chiggers and midges or no-see-ums. The EPA requires extensive effectiveness data to prove the product's ability to repel these insects. Many species and varieties of ticks, mosquitoes, flies, etc., have been tested.
Does Permethrin or Insect Repellent Clothing have an odour?
No. Insect Shield® protection is odourless, colourless and does not change the feel of the garment.
How do I care for the Insect Repellent Horse Rug?
Insect Shield Insect Repellent Gear provides effective protection against insects through 25 washings. Horsewear should be machine-washed separately in cold water using standard laundry detergent. You should not dry clean, as this will remove the permethrin (the active ingredient) from your horsewear, thereby reducing the insect repellent capabilities.
It really works!
Insect Shield® Repellent Apparel and Gear are the most effective new tools launched in more than 50 years to help battle insects and insect-carried diseases such as West Nile virus, Malaria and Lyme disease.
