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Spear® LEP Bioinsecticide for Lepidopteran Pests

Why Growers Choose Spear® LEP

  • New MOA IRAC Group 32 provides resistance management
  • Proven on 1M+ acres replacing conventional insecticides 1:1
  • Highly specific to lepidopteran larvae, friendly for pollinators/beneficials
  • Excellent safety and environmental profile and a low risk of phytotoxicity
  • Flexible for operations with a 0-Day PHI, 4-Hour REI and MRL exemption
  • Must be used with a low rate of Bt

Spear® LEP

Peptides
A revolutionary bioinsecticide for lepidopteran pests in specialty crops

Spear® LEP bioinsecticide is Suterra's innovative solution for use on tree nuts, fruits, vegetables, and high-value specialty crops. The novel Group 32 product harnesses the power of peptides with insecticidal properties for effective targeting of lepidopteran pests like caterpillars, loopers, and worms. With the safety and environmental profile of a bioinsecticide and the efficacy of a conventional synthetic, Spear® LEP is an excellent tool for integrated pest management and resistance management.

Pests

  • Beet Armyworm

  • Blackheaded Fireworm
  • Cabbage Looper
  • Codling Moth (CM)
  • Corn Earworm
  • Cranberry Fruitworm
  • Diamondback Moth (DBM)
  • Fall Armyworm
  • Grape Berry Moth
  • Imported Cabbageworm
  • Melonworm
  • Navel Orangeworm (NOW)
  • Oblique-Banded Leafroller
  • Oriental Fruit Moth
  • Peach Twig Borer
  • Sparganothis Fruitworm
  • Tobacco Hornworm

Crops

Specifications

Downloads

NOW Damage Reduction

Spear® LEP & Btk, used alone or as a rotation partner with other chemistries, cuts nut damage by up to 75% compared to untreated controls. 

% Crop Damage

DBM Larvae Reduction

Spear® LEP, used with either Btk or Bta as a facilitator, cuts diamondback moth larvae by up to 90% compared to untreated controls. 

Larvae per 10 plants

Technology

New technology crop protection products like Spear® LEP harness naturally occurring peptides with insecticidal properties to fight pests in fruit, vegetables and high-value specialty crops. How it works:

How Spear LEP works diagram
  1. Spear® LEP is tank-mixed with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a gut-disrupting facilitator

  2. Pest ingests plant tissue treated with Spear® LEP and a low dose of Bt.

  3. Bt crystal proteins damage the gut cells, allowing Spear® LEP access to the nervous system.

  4. The targeted nerve cells are depolarized and unable to reset and transmit new electrical signals.

  5. This causes paralysis and death of the insect.

Testimonials

Columbia Fruit Jeff Cleveringa

Columbia Fruit

Jeff Cleveringa

"One of the things we're always concerned about is resistance management. Two years ago, we implemented Spear LEP company-wide on all of my ranches, and it offered me new chemistry that was exciting. We found that it has worked on par with any of our other conventional products, and is soft on beneficials."

Fowler Farms Mike Norton

Fowler Farms

Mike Norton

"Five years ago, I was approached by my consultant to try this new product called Spear LEP. We trialed it on a 40-acre block and everything proved to be good. We ramped it up to about 250 acres and now for the past three years we've been using it across the board."

Allan Bros Chase Edwards

Allan Bros

Chase Edwards

"Here at Columbia View, we sprayed Spear LEP across every acre of the farm. Because we use Spear LEP instead of some more traditional insecticides, we're able to preserve a lot of beneficial insects, which translates to less secondary pest sprays, saving us time and money."

Francesco Giacuinta Tomato Farmer

Tomato Farmer, Italy

Francesco Giacuinta

"Compared to other agrochemicals, Spear LEP gives me better results. I start seeing results the day after I apply it. I like that I can go back to harvesting the day after application, as it leaves no regulated residues. That's the big advantage - unlike other agrochemicals, there's no withdrawal period."

Resources

Suterra Acquires Vestaron’s R&D Assets and Product Lines

Suterra Acquires Vestaron’s R&D Assets and Product Lines

May 6, 2026, 5:00:02 AM

Bend, Oregon – 6 May 2026 – Suterra, a division of The Wonderful Company® and a global leader in biological pest control, announced today it has...