Insecticidal feeding beads, systems comprising the beads, and methods of making the beads

1. An insecticidal feeding bead, comprising:

a food source comprising a swellable starch;

0.0001 wt % to 5 wt % of an insecticide active; and

greater than or equal to 70 weight percent water, wherein weight percent is based upon a total weight of the insecticidal feeding bead.

2. The insecticidal feeding bead of claim 1 , wherein the swellable starch comprises a tapioca bead.

3. The insecticidal feeding bead of claim 1 , wherein the swellable starch has a volume and wherein the swellable starch absorbs greater than or equal to two times the volume in water.

4. The insecticidal feeding bead of claim 1 , wherein the swellable starch has a diameter of 1 millimeter to 8 millimeters.

5. The insecticidal feeding bead of claim 4 , wherein the diameter is 2 millimeters to 3 millimeters.

6. The insecticidal feeding bead of claim 1 , wherein the food source further comprises a source selected from the group consisting of sugars, sugar derivatives, polyhydroxy alcohols, syrups, oligosaccharides, carbohydrates, grain foods, lipids, fats, hydrogenated fats, animal protein, vegetable proteins, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

7. The insecticidal feeding bead of claim 6 , wherein the source is selected from the group consisting of glucose, fructose, sucrose, dextrose, maltose, lactose, galactose, arabinose, glycerin, invert sugar, molasses, high fructose corn syrup, honey, hydrogenated vegetable shortening, black sugar, brown sugar, glucosamine, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.