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How to kill carpenter ants using professional pest control products

Carpenter Ant control with Professional Pest Control Products

You basically have only a few options and some will work better than others.  Exterior perimeter treatments will work well if you are using something like Premise or Termidor, there are both non repelling so ants will continue to move about the chemical application area.  Other chemical such as Suspend, Cynoff and Talstar will help keep the ants away from the structure, but will not be effective on colonies that are already located inside.

Treating the inside of wall voids or entry points that you know have carpenter ants nesting inside will include dust and a duster, Drione, Delta Dust, Pyganic Dust and also Premise Foam.

When you void or foam the wall voids you are trying to get the ants or other insects to cross into your chemically treated area.  Ants groom themselves so they should get it on their bodies and ingest the chemical.  Apply dust properly with the use of a duster, apply Drione Delta Dust into the wall voids for Carpenter Ant Control.  Delta Dust is better suited for use where there is a moisture concern.  Premise foam works great if you know which section of void the ant or termite is occupying.  Dusting is not a stand alone treatment and should be used in conjunction with other chemical or baiting methods.

You can perform a spot treatment on infested wood with Bora-Care or Tim-bor , naturally occurring Borate and wood preservative.  It will quickly eliminate a localized carpenter ant infestation, because it will act as a repellent to the ants and make the wood unattractive for creating galleries.  The wood has to be un painted or sealed on the areas you will be applying.  You can inject Bora-Care or Tim-bor directly into the carpenter ant galleries.

Baits

Because of the sole nature of ants the most effective method of controlling carpenter ants is by using baits.  Baits work by eliminating the population of carpenter ants in an area and reduce or stop their potential for entering a structure.  Advance Carpenter Ant Bait (8 oz or 2lb container)  Niban Granular Bait and Niban-FG Fine Granular Bait are carpenter ant baits which can be used for both interior and exterior applications.  Maxforce Carpenter Ant Bait Gel is the fastest for indoor ant colonies, we recommend both the Advance Carpenter ant bait and Maxforce Carpenter Ant Bait to be used together for superior success.

For exterior baiting you will want to place a band of bait, two to four foot band around the structure using Niban or Advance Carpenter Ant Bait.  Can be placed around bases of trees, stumps, firewood piles and any other location ants may tend to form a colony in.  Bait can be applied in the ant’s trails.  Niban will not break down in sunlight and stays effective with up to 2 inches of rainfall. Whenever possible applying bait inside and out will help you be the most successful at Carpenter Ant Control and help you Kill them Like a Professional.

We Carry the largest selection of professional pest control products available to homeowners, business and institutions so you can do your own pest control and the instructions provided above will help you  not only get rid of but  Kill your Carpenter Ant problem.

How to Apply Carpenter Ant Bait:

Advance carpenter ant bait application recommendations

INDOORS

LOCATE ANT ACTIVITY:

Follow ants back to voids.  Apply product to cracks and crevices or voids where ants are active.  In heavily traveled sites use up to 1.5 ounces of product.

Use a large Puff duster to place the product into crevices or voids.  IT may take more than one application so keep feeding the ants till you no longer see any ants.

ADVANCE Granular Carpenter Ant Bait is a ready to use product for use in controlling carpenter ants both indoors and outdoors. This bait formulation combines a mixture of foods and the delayed action insecticide, abamectin. This insecticide acts to reduce the population of worker ants and can cause an immediate halt in egg production resulting in colony elimination. Avoid use of other insecticides or sprays on or near ADVANCE Granular Carpenter Ant Bait.

OUTDOORS

BROADCAST APPLICATION: Use this product at a rate of 1 lb. per acre. Apply the product as uniformly as possible. Repeat application as necessary.

AROUND STRUCTURES: Lightly sprinkle the product evenly in a band approximately 1 – 2 feet wide around the foundation of the building. Treat visible trails with approximately 1 ounce of product. Repeat application

as necessary.

Maxforce Carpenter Ant Bait Application Recommendations

Apply with syringe applicator directly into cracks and crevices.  Place applicator tip into cracks and crevices and where ants may travel.  Apply gel up to 1 gram per spot.

Apply the bait in small amounts between different elements of construction, openings leading into voids and hollow spaces in floors, walls, ceilings, equipment legs and bases, around plumbing pipes, doors and windows, cabinets, sinks, stoves and other places where ants may enter the establishment.

Reapply when necessary.

For outdoor use Apply Maxforce Carpenter Ant gel into on or adjacent to surfaces where you can see ants, next to ant trails and potential water damage areas.

EPest Solutions is the #1 source for Do it Yourself pest control products and supplies, where you will find one of the widest ranges of insecticides, pesticides and insect growth regulators—all used by industry professionals—ready for use in the home market.

You’ll find it easy and convenient to shop for insecticides and pesticides where the professionals shop, and do so with confidence knowing that you’re purchasing name brand professional insecticides, pesticides and treatments that are the same products that your pest control professional uses.

All of our pest control products including pest control kits are ideal for residential or commercial pest control use, so you will be able to save money and, when it comes to ridding your home of nasty unwanted pests, you can easily Do-it-Yourself.

If you have ants, bed bugs, pesky birds, crickets, earwigs, fleas, flies, fungus and mold, gophers, mosquitoes, pantry pests, rats, mice and rodents, roaches, scorpions, silverfish, spider supplies, stinging insects, termites or ticks, we have the pest control product that is just right for you.

Here at ePest Solutions we have a large variety of animal traps, ant bait and killers, bed bug insecticides, bird deterrents, cricket insecticides and bait, earwig insecticide and granules, flea control kits and spray, fly traps and glueboards, fungus and mold treatments, gopher and mole bait, mosquito misting systems and insecticide, pantry pest traps and bait, rat, mice and rodent control kits and rodenticide, roach aerosol insecticides and dust, scorpion insecticide, silverfish bait, spider supplies, stinging insect aerosol, termite control and bait, and tick treatments in stock and ready for immediate delivery.

Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to hire a professional team of exterminators to come in and help you rid your home of unwanted pests. Advances in technology, coupled with outstanding research and development of new, safe and easy-to-use do-it-yourself pest control products make it possible for nearly anyone to cut costs and time by taking control of their pestcontrol needs themselves with confidence.

February 25, 2010   Posted in: Ant control, Uncategorized  No Comments

How to Kill Carpenter Ants

How to Kill Carpenter Ant

Carpenter ants can be difficult to control, the information provided is to help you get rid of and kill your carpenter ant problems.  Carpenter ants that enter the home are black and can vary in length from 1/4 to 3/4 inch. Unlike termites, all carpenter ants have narrow (or constricted) waists (they have a waistline) and elbowed (bent) antennae.

Carpenter ants are social insects, similar to termites and they  form large colonies. A mature carpenter ant colony may contain up to 3,000 individuals, but usually only one queen, but they can have satellite colonies.   Carpenter ants form nests in wood by tunneling against the grain. These galleries are free of mud and sawdust. Coarse sawdust is present below the entrance of an active nest.

Carpenter ants DO NOT eat wood; they do however remove the wood to create their galleries and tunnels.  They do however feed on sources of protein and sugar. Carpenter ants, outdoors feed on living and dead insects, they are also very attracted to honeydew, a sweet liquid produced by aphids and scale insects. Most foraging is done at night between sunset and midnight during spring and summer months. This is the best time to locate a colony, entry points and to apply baits.  Sometimes workers travel up to 100 yards from a nest in search of food.

Carpenter ants nest in moist wood including rotting trees, tree roots, tree stumps, and logs or boards lying on or buried in the ground. They can also nest in moist or decayed wood inside buildings. Wood decay may be caused by exposure to leaks, condensation, or poor air circulation. Nests have been found behind bathroom tiles; around tubs, sinks, showers, and dishwashers; under roofing, in attic beams, and under subfloor insulation; and in hollow spaces such as doors, curtain rods, and wall voids. Carpenter ants may also nest in foam insulation.

Many foods are attractive to carpenter ants, including honey or other sweet foods. During spring, carpenter ants are particularly attracted to protein sources, such as tuna packed in water. (Carpenter ants are not attracted to tuna packed in oil.) Set out small pieces of tuna for the ants to take back to their nest. It is easier to follow the ants when they are carrying food. With patience and perseverance, you can follow the ants back to their nest.

Other signs that indicate an active nest is nearby include small piles of coarse sawdust or wood shavings, consistent indoor sightings of large numbers of worker ants, i.e. 20 or more, and large numbers of winged ants indoors. Carpenter ants typically swarm from late winter through spring.

Also pay attention to areas where steady moisture is or has been a problem; firewood stored in an attached garage, next to the foundation, along an outside wall, or in a basement; areas around the plumbing or vent entrances; and trees with branches overhanging the house. These are possible sources of carpenter ant nests.

Sound detection may be helpful in locating a nest. An active colony may make a dry, rustling sound that becomes louder if the colony is disturbed. This sound, thought to be a form of communication, is made with the mandibles (jaws) and is not related to wood chewing. When trying to detect carpenter ants, tap the suspected area and then press an ear to the surface in order to hear any sound.

If one nest is found, watch for evidence of additional nests. More than one nest may be present in a structure.

Where to look for Carpenter Ants Indoors:

Nests are often concealed in wall voids, ceilings, subfloors, attics, or hollow It is best to determine the nest’s location as specifically as possible but bait can be simply placed in the areas that the ants are moving about.

If you are able to see the nest and colony then using a liquid or aerosol insecticide will help destroy the colony.

Liquids or aerosol ready-to-use insecticide, such as bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, deltamethrin, or permethrin are labeled for use on Carpenter Ants.   Spray the insecticide directly into as much of the nest as possible

If the nest cannot be located, baits may are an effective alternative. Baits work by combining their attractive food source with a slow-acting insecticide. Maxforce and Advance Carpenter ant baits will be easily shared with colony and the delayed effect will all time for all ants to consume some of the bait, so that the colony is eliminated.  Food Sharing with social insects makes baits a very effective option for control.

The keys to successful baiting are placement and monitoring, if you do not put the bait out where the ant will never find it you will not be successful.

Do the insepection of your home and look for cracks in foundations, attic vents, plumbing penetrations, electrical wires that enter the home, branches that hang over roof line and touch can be a good entry point for carpenter ants.  Look for areas of the home that have excessive moisture problems, maybe where the gutter floods water to close to the wood.

Treat your Carpenter Ant problems with an appropriately labeled pesticide such as Advance Carpenter Ant Bait, Suspend SC, Talstar Concentrate or Cynoff.

Advance Carpenter Ant Bait is ant bait that can be placed in small piles in the ants traisl or can also be used as a scattered bait around piles of wood, around structures or in the home

A few excellent pesticides that are labeled for Carpenter Ant Control  is Suspend SC, Talstar Concentrate, Termidor and Cynoff.  These will also work for other insects.

February 25, 2010  Tags: advance carpenter ant bait, carpenter ants, How to Kill, maxforce carpenter ant bait  Posted in: Ant control, Uncategorized  No Comments

What products can be used to control pigeons?

Pest Control Question:

What products can be used to control pigeons?

Roncellie, 00

Mr. Pest Control’s Answer:

We’ll skip my soap box about the need to control pigeons, because anyone who truly is familiar with these non-native birds and their impact on human health will recognize that it is not in our best interest to live intimately with them. Pest bird management is a huge opportunity for PMP’s, and should be yet another add-on service you can provide for existing customers. This may be a great way to fill in those slow times during the winter, when insect pests are minimized and you may have more available time.

While feral pigeons do not really have any regulatory protection, killing them is generally not an option. You might be doing so legally, but you will run into a lot of unwanted bad publicity for it. However, there may be times when shooting persistent birds will be necessary, especially if they are nesting on a building site and absolutely refuse to leave. This should be done discreetly and with an air rifle that makes little sound. Even with exclusion devices installed a pigeon that has been nesting in a location will do anything and everything possible to return to that nest, and could bypass many physical devices.

Trapping pigeons is one possible option, but this can be time consuming, and once trapped you need to deal with how to dispose of them. In some areas they could be sold to others who would use them for their own purposes, but I won’t get into that. Releasing them well away from where you trapped them likely wouldn’t accomplish much, as other flocks would soon replace the ones you trapped, it could be illegal to release “wildlife” off the site where trapped, and even the ones you release could find their way back. They are, after all, “homing” pigeons.

We have several common options for pigeon management, and these are either the use of a bait product or the installation of exclusion devices. The baits now fall into 2 categories – repellent and sterilant, and the sterilant is called OvoControl, and has gained tremendous popularity and acceptance. This is a temporary sterilant, meaning it needs to be eaten regularly by the pigeons to keep them sterile, but it does not harm the birds in any way. It simply prevents them from producing more of their kind, and over time will reduce the total population of the birds in an area. Univar carries this product and the various feeding accessories that go with it, so speak to your local Univar rep for more information, or visit the Innolytics website that you can find in our Manufacturers listing on PestWeb.

The other popular bait is Avitrol, also carried by Univar. This is actually a toxin, and if over-used it will lead to dead birds. Properly used, however, it will cause birds that eat it to feel odd, and these affected birds begin to emit alarm sounds and behavior that alarms the rest of their flock, causing that flock to leave the area where they assume something must be wrong. The affected birds will come out of this behavior after the Avitrol has been metabolized, so properly done no birds suffer any long term problems with this bait either. The drawback to this solution is that you simply chase the flock around, and it lands somewhere else to become that person’s problem. You also leave no protection for the building you have as a customer, so new flocks are likely to discover it as a roosting location as well.

There also are various sticky materials that can be placed on ledges and which irritate the feet of a pigeon that lands on it, causing it to leave. There can be drawbacks to this, including the fact that the goop can get runny in hot weather and flow down the side of the building, can be covered with dust in dusty locations, and after a short period of time may no longer be sticky and would no longer offer repellency to new birds. While some websites state that these repellents “burn” the feet of the birds it is not so, and it is only irritating.

Another repellent is one that can be fogged, and this comes in a number of trade names including Fog Force carried by Univar. The active ingredient is Methyl anthranilate, which sounds ominous but which is actually derived from grapes, and to humans has a rather pleasant odor. But, birds are dramatically affected by it because of their different olfactory (smell) arrangement, and small concentrations of the vapors will cause actual pain to the birds and cause them to leave an area. It is effective on many kinds of pest birds, and there are various mechanical devices for fogging it, including timed foggers for permanent placement.

But, for the best long term control to prevent pigeons from roosting on any location you can install various physical barriers, such as netting, spike strips, electrical strips, wires and bouncing wires, and other devices that physically stop the birds from being able to land on the surface. These will cost more to install initially, but once installed they are pemanent, and will still be there and working for many years. They can be installed so that there is no degradation of the appearance of the building, so they are not objectionable. They cause absolutely no harm to the birds, and thus are acceptable to all but the most insane pigeon lovers. (may have stepped over the line there). Univar carries the entire line of Bird Barrier products, and you can view the Bird Barrier website for short videos that depict the installation of them, or contact Bird Barrier to help you get started with big jobs.

Mr. Pest Control

February 21, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

How to kill carpenter ants? ePestSolutions Online professional pest control supplies store

How to Kill Carpenter Ants:

Basics of Ant Control

How to kill carpenter ants? ePestSolutions Online professional pest control supplies store has all the  information and recommendations necessary to get rid of carpenter ants.

Product Recommendations for controlling Carpenter Ants are located at the bottom of this page

Common Name:  Carpenter Ants

Scientific Name:  Camponotus species

Carpenter Ant Description

Color: from red to black  Legs: 6

Shape: segmented; oval  Size 5/8”  Antennae: yes  Flight: no

Habitat

Carpenter ants can and will establish a nest inside and outside of any type of structure.  You can locate in some cases satellite or parent colonies outside a structure, these will be located in tree stumps, landscape timbers, wood piles or moist damp wood.  You can locate trails in the early morning or early evening when the carpenter ants are foraging, locate the trails back and forth from parent colony and structure.  Typically the interior locations of the carpenter ants will be near a moisture source kitchen, or bath areas.  Look for an area that maybe gets more moisture from rain runoff then other areas of the structure.

Carpenter ants enter structures though openings or cracks while foraging for food. The appearance of large numbers of winged adults carpenter ants inside a structure indicates that the nest or nests exists indoors. Carpenter Ants don’t eat wood, but they eat proteins and sugars. Carpenter ant wood damage is caused by tunneling into the structure. Once inside, they will try and locate a water source, food and use wood for their nest.

Best Professional pest control products on the market let us show you

how to kill carpenter ants.

Carpenter ants do not sting and usually don’t bite humans. However, when irritated they can and will inflict a painful bite.

These ants can cause property damage to a structure. They usually invade wet, decayed wood but they can tunnel through dry undamaged wood as well. As you can see, it is important to get rid of carpenter ants to avoid property damage.

Prevention

Eliminate sources of moisture, seal cracks around your foundation, and keep wood materials away from your home. Cut back bushes and branches will also eliminate sources of entry to your home.

Eliminating Carpenter Ants can be difficult and requires a multitude of control and exclusion techniques.  This can involves moisture elimination, removing overhanging tree limbs, stumps, and firewood.  Seal up entry points, cracks and crevices. It is helpful to locate the nest and satellite nest, but if you cannot locate them then use of Ant Bait (Advance Carpenter Ant Bait and Maxforce Carpenter Ant Bait) is very effective.

Areas where water leaks occur should be inspected they will be attractive to ants as well as Termites.  Treat nests with a gel bait labeled for carpenter ants Maxforce Carpenter ant Gel Bait or use a labeled dust. Treat inside wall voids with a foam (premise Foam) or dust. You will want to treat the ant trails followed by workers when they forage with carpenter ant bait granules.

Product recommendations:

Carpenter Ant Control Kits Can be applied inside and outside for carpenter ant control

Premise Foam Can be used in the nest area wall voids

Drione Dust for use in the nest area wall voids

Pyganic Dust for use in the nest area wall voids

Advance Carpenter Ant  Bait for use on ant trails

Maxforce Carpenter Ant Bait for use inside

Termidor for use outside on ant trails and nest perfect for large ongoing carpenter ant control problems

Visit ePestSolutions for more information on How to kill Carpenter Ants and all other insects, and weeds.

ePest Solutions is the #1 source for Do it Yourself pest control products and supplies, where you will find one of the widest ranges of insecticides, pesticides and insect growth regulators—all used by industry professionals—ready for use in the home market.

You’ll find it easy and convenient to shop for insecticides and pesticides where the professionals shop, and do so with confidence knowing that you’re purchasing name brand professional insecticides, pesticides and treatments that are the same products that your pest control professional uses.

All of our pest control products including pest control kits are ideal for residential or commercial pest control use, so you will be able to save money and, when it comes to ridding your home of nasty unwanted pests, you can easily Do-it-Yourself.

If you have ants, bed bugs, pesky birds, crickets, earwigs, fleas, flies, fungus and mold, gophers, mosquitoes, pantry pests, rats, mice and rodents, roaches, scorpions, silverfish, spider supplies, stinging insects, termites or ticks, we have the pest control product that is just right for you.

Here at ePest Solutions we have a large variety of animal traps, ant bait and killers, bed bug insecticides, bird deterrents, cricket insecticides and bait, earwig insecticide and granules, flea control kits and spray, fly traps and glueboards, fungus and mold treatments, gopher and mole bait, mosquito misting systems and insecticide, pantry pest traps and bait, rat, mice and rodent control kits and rodenticide, roach aerosol insecticides and dust, scorpion insecticide, silverfish bait, spider supplies, stinging insect aerosol, termite control and bait, and tick treatments in stock and ready for immediate delivery.

Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to hire a professional team of exterminators to come in and help you rid your home of unwanted pests. Advances in technology, coupled with outstanding research and development of new, safe and easy-to-use do-it-yourself pest control products make it possible for nearly anyone to cut costs and time by taking control of their pestcontrol needs themselves with confidence.

February 9, 2010  Tags: advance carpenter ant bait, ant bait, carpenter ants, how to kill carpenter ants, maxforce carpenter ant bait  Posted in: Ant control  No Comments

How to Kill Bed Bugs Video ePestSolutions.com

How to Kill Bed bugs Video Slide Presentation

 

For Large areas this is a great kit with all key elements need to for Bed Bug control

 

 

 

 

 

Bedbug control and How to kill bed bugs is all available at epestsolutions bedbug

At ePestSolutions we can help control bed bugs with our full line of professional bed bug control supplies, bed bug sprays, dusts, aerosols, bed bug pesticide, insect growth regulators and pesticides for the Do It yourself Pest Control homeowner, to kill and control every aspect of bed bugs. These professional insecticides, baits and traps once were not available to the general public, now you can use the same products the professional pest control technicians use at a fraction of the cost.

Unfortunately for travelers and renters bed bugs are on the rise, but with the correct products and careful attention paid to cracks and crevices bedbug control is made easy. We carry a full line of insecticides, dust, aerosols for the control of bed bugs. We also carry the full line of Allerzip Allergen mattress and box spring covers, to protect you bedding from bed bugs. Products we love: JT Eaton Bedbug travel size spray to apply to hotel bedding and luggage so that you will not be traveling back with these pesky insects.

January 18, 2010  Tags: bed bugs, How to Kill, How to Kill Bedbugs  Posted in: Bed Bug Control  No Comments

How to Kill Gophers with JT eaton Gopher Bait

 

 

Nice Video on JT Eaton Rodent Bait Blocks for rodents and Gophers on Youtube.com

Gopher BAIT BLOCKS®

 

JT EATON™ ANSWER® For The Control Of Pocket Gophers KILLS GOPHERS #277

 

Sold West of the Mississippi only

Resealable 10-lb. pail

Packed 40 4 oz. bars per pail

January 18, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

Reward Aquatic Herbicide to Control Duckweed in Ponds

http://www.epestsolutions.com/Reward/Reward+Herbicide.html

 

Diquat

 

Diquat, which is sold under the trade name of Reward is diluted in 50 to 150 gallons of water per acre and sprayed directly on the floating plants.

 

 

 

Diquat, which is sold under the trade name of Reward

 

 

®

, is used at 1 gallon per surface acre. Itis diluted in 50 to 150 gallons of water per acre and sprayed directly on the floating plants. Anonionic surfactant, which can be purchased at most places that sell Reward®, must be added to the Reward®/water solution as directed on the Reward label. A nonionic surfactant, which can be purchased at most places that sell  Reward

Reward is a contact herbicide. That means it immediately causes the plant tissue it comes
into contact with to turn brown. Because duckweed and watermeal plants are so small, a single
Reward® treatment will seldom make contact with and kill all the plants. In addition, Reward® does
not persist in the water; it is typically gone from the water column by 7 to 10 days after treatment.
Therefore, any plants that survive the initial treatment will start to regrow in a few days. A typical
scenario after treatment with Reward® is that many of the plants will turn brown and sink but the
survivors will regrow and again cover the pond.

Several treatments of Reward® usually have to be made in a single season to keep a pond
relatively free of duckweed or watermeal. Treatments should begin as soon as the plants start to
grow in the spring or early summer in order to “keep ahead” of the growth. It is helpful to treat
when the wind has pushed the plants to one end of the pond; the spray should be concentrated on
the plants in that area. However, do not forget to spray small patches that may still be floating on
other parts of the pond or washed up along the banks.
Multiple treatments of Reward® can successfully control duckweed; unfortunately, they
seldom give effective control of watermeal.

www.epestsolutions.com the leader in DIY pest control

 

 

January 13, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

Fire ant control with Fipronil Top Choice

Hello I have a fire ant investation in my yard. I am looking for some type of commercial repellant, iot is suppsedly like the front line stuff used on pets but will get rid of ants for a year. aNy help would be great
Thanks
Ben
Top choice is the product you are asking about, it contains fipronil.

http://www.epestsolutions.com/topchoice/Top+Choice+Insecticide+Granules+50+lb+Bag.html

TopChoice Insecticide is a new Bayer fire ant control based on the powerful active ingredient fipronil. Just one broadcast application of the ultra-low-dose granule provides 95% control of fire ants for up to one year. TopChoice Insecticide also controls mole crickets, fleas, ticks, and nuisance ants.

What’s Controlled

•  
  • Red Imported Fire Ants
  • Fleas
  • Mole Crickets
  • Nuisance Ants
  • Ticks

Fire Ants are the number one insect problem in the south. No product on the market controls these pest for very long. If you’re like most professionals living and working in the fire ant belt, you have resigned yourself to applying multiple treatments that keep fire ants coming back again and again.

No More Fire Ants with Top Choice

TopChoice is a revolution in Fire Ant control – one application virtually eliminates fire ants for one year. Guaranteed. Plus it save you time and cuts labor costs.

TopChoice fire ant control contains 0.0143% fipronil, the lowest dose, non-bait insecticide available for fire ants. Fipronil is also used in popular flea and tick products, giving homepowners, pet owners and parents peace of mind that it won’t be dangerous in their yards.

The Lethal action of TopChoice for fire ant control. TopChoice acts at the GABA receptors of insects, essentially blocking their ability to switch off nerve impulses, causing severe disruption of the insect’s nervous system. TopChoice binds more tightly to insect receptors than to vertebrate ones (about 100 times more), so it is more selectively toxic to insects than to vertebrates or mammals.

The active ingredient in TopChoice Insecticide bidnds tightly to the soil, providing fire ant countrol for one year. TopChoice also controls mole crickets for four months, nuisance ants for three months, and felas and ticks for one month.

Once an area is treated with a broadcast application of TopChoice, several things happen:

1. Fire ants work the treated soil, via mound construction and foraging tunnels, coming into contact with TopChoice.

2. Fire ants become exposed either through contact or ingestion and spread the active ingredient throughout the mount to other ants and the queen(s). We call this the Domino Effect.

3. Succumbing to the lethal effects of TopChoice, the mound slowly and steadily crashes, including the queen.

4. The residual effect of TopChoice Insecticide controls existing mounds and prevents new mounds from forming.

Application Tips
For maximum fire ant control, pair a broadcast application of TopChoice with Ceasefire for use in hard-to-reach areas such as landscape beds, parking lot islands, and areas near water.

Top Choice Granules 50 lb bag

Fipronil (the active ingredient in Top Choice granules) has proven effective when combating ants (including fireants), fleas and other pests for periods longer than other insecticide granules. This active ingredient controls or kills targeted pests at much lower rates than older, conventional insecticides. A good example of new pest control products with smaller yet more effective active ingredients would be to compare Diazinon granules with Top Choice granules. Though there were a few different formulations of Diazinon (before the active ingredient was pulled from U. S. markets) the most popular formulation contained 0.50 % active ingredient. Top Choice (on the other hand) contains .0143% active ingredient. Modern technologies have provided us with better, safer to handle products that do not require massive amounts of insecticides to control targeted pests. For more information about the active ingredient in Top Choice, go to the Fipronil web page.

Many people are familiar with Fipronil granules sold under a different brand name for ant control:

TopChoice contains .0143 % Fipronil. As mentioned above, Fipronil controls ants, fire ants and other pests using far less active ingredients than conventional insecticide granules. The increase from .0103% to .0143% is far more significant than most realize. Top Choice granules are labeled for control of ants, fire ants, fleas, ticks and molecrickets. Top Choice is formulated with a superior carrier which will give longer residual than other granules. This superior residual results in longer ant control and fewer re-treatments over a one year period. Top Choice granules will hold up longer to conditions such as rain and regularly scheduled irrigation programs. This is one of the reasons why golf courses prefer Top Choice fipronil granules for the control of fire ants and molecrickets. Pests Controlled by Top Choice Besides fire ants, Top Choice is labeled for the control of other lawn pests such as ants, fleas, ticks and molecrickets. These Fipronil granules provide longest residual (control time) for fire ants. Control of molecrickets, fleas, ticks will be longer than other insecticide granules but for shorter periods when controlling fire ants. TopChoice controls fireants for up to one year, molecrickets for up to four months, nuisance ant pests (other than fire ants) up to three months, fleas and ticks for about one month.

Fire Ant Control Flea and Tick Control Molecricket Control with Top Choice

Top Choice Fire Ant Control

Fire ants are active most of the year in areas where they are a pest. During cooler seasons these pests are more active and are more likely to respond to your pest management operations. Top Choice can be applied at any time of year but for best results, apply the granules in Spring of the year of Autumn. Spring time is the best for optimal control. As with any long-term ant control product, your best results will be seen by applying the product just prior to the ants most active period or at first sign of infestation. During hot summer months fire ants are visible and are indeed active.

Fipronil, the active ingredient in TopChoice granules, is a slow-acting insecticide. This means that you will not usually see immediate results after application. This slow action is an advantage when getting rid of ants and fire ants. The social life of an ant colony is an important to remember when controlling the pests. Ants do indeed “socialize” in their daily routines, constantly touching each other. This constant and repetitive contact will rapidly spread the insecticide throughout the colony of ants. Once an ant has contaminated itself by foraging through areas treated with Fipronil or has fed on objects in the treated area, the ant will spread Fipronil to each ant it comes into contact with and these ants will spread to insecticide to other ants. If the insecticide were to work too fast, far fewer ants would be affected, lessening the effect of the product. Slow acting Fipronil will give you a more thorough kill of the fire ant colony. With Fipronil, slower is better; slower is more effective. Apply the granules evenly, at the proper time and be patient.

When Top Choice granules are applied to fire ant infested lawns, golf courses, etc., there will be an immediate kill that severely inhibits the ant colony’s ability to function and survive. The long residual provided by Fipronil granules kills “stragglers” that managed to temporarily escape. This goes a long way to prevent them from re-establishing healthy colonies. The long residual also helps to prevent other ants from migrating to the treated area. In nature, voids are rarely permanent. When one ant colony or one ant species is eliminated or even severely curtailed, another ant or ants will try to fill the void. Top Choice will prevent fire ants from rebuilding for up to a year and will kill other nuisance ants for about three months.

For best results, apply Top Choice granules in spring of the year or at first sign that fire ants are in the area. If you miss this prime window of opportunity, you can still apply the granules to fire ant infested grounds. Applications made in heat of summer or when fireant colonies are already established will work but you must be patient as control will take more time. Fire ants are less active in hot weather but will still need to forage during this time period and will come into contact with the Fipronil that has bonded to the soil through which they must travel.

Apply Top Choice through a type of rotary spreader for best results. Trying to apply fipronil granules (or any lawn granules) by hand (without a spreader) will result in poor coverage. You want to make sure that the proper amount of insecticide granules are distributed evenly over the effected area. Gaps in protection will lead to poor control or even failure to kill the targeted pest.

Flea and Tick Control

The active ingredient (Fipronil) in Top Choice is the same active ingredient in Frontline Top Spot and Frontline Spray used for flea and tick control on dogs and cats, but used at a much lower rate. There are two important points to consider from this: Frontline has proven to kill fleas and ticks without harming pets treated with Fipronil. The amount of Fipronil in TopChoice is even lower than products used to treat pets. As with the use of Talstar for controlling fleas, expect long lasting Top Choice to work slowly. For best results, apply Top Choice before fleas or ticks become a major problem. These granules are very good for prevention and suppression but will take longer period of time to bring an existing infestation under control. It is very important to use some type of rotary granule spreader to apply insecticide granules. Even distribution gives total coverage and maximum control of fleas and ticks.

Mole cricket Control with Top Choice

When using Top Choice granules to control molecrickets, establish a prevention program rather than a knee-jerk reaction. Be patient: product works best when applied at the correct time of year and development stages of young molecrickets. For more information about proper timing of application, go to application of molecricket products web page. If pesticides are applied only when adult molecrickets are active, the application usually fails. Apply Top Choice by label instructions, broadcast evenly and apply at correct time of year for optimal control.

Top Choice Ordering Information

Top Choice is available in 50 lb : Each 50 Lb. bag of Top Choice will treat about 25,000 square feet and costs $240.00, plus S&H. TopChoice can only be shipped to the following states: AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, NM, OK, SC, TN, TX.

Advion Fire ant Bait

January 13, 2010  Tags: Ant control, Fire ant control, Top Choice  Posted in: Ant control, Uncategorized  No Comments

How to get rid of Bed Bugs

Found this great question and answer from mr. pest control about bed bug control

Thought everyone could benefit from this information on “How to get rid of Bedbugs”

Question:

What is the best treatment program to control bed bugs in a residence with a light infestation?

Augusto, FL

 

Answer:

I believe the best way to look at bedbugs is either the house is infested or it is not. I know there can be some massive infestations, but even a home with 2 bedbugs will be an ongoing and growing problem if it is not resolved quickly. As one of our industry experts puts it, if you miss just a couple of bedbug eggs that are glued to a wall you have the likelihood that the problem will be back. And, given their ability to hide in just about any tiny hole, narrow crevice, seam on the mattress, or inside wall voids, there could be a much larger problem already than is obvious at first glance.

The key to bedbug management and 100% eradication is thoroughness. Every single harborage point that has bedbugs or their eggs within it must be treated in some manner, and pesticides are not the only tool you should consider. Pesticides are not going to kill the eggs well, and there continues to be the question of just how resistant to pesticides the bedbugs are. There certainly will be success at killing bedbugs using traditional insecticides, although most of the products seem to require several days or longer to achieve the kill of these insects, particularly if the bedbug is not treated directly, but instead only rests on a treated surface after it has dried. But, with respect to insecticide treatments you need to go from floor level to the ceiling in looking for harborage points, including edges of carpets and behind coving, electrical outlets and the wall voids behind them, which you can dust with Diatomaceous Earth dust, and even light fixtures on the ceiling.

Perhaps 70% or more of the bedbugs would initially be found on the mattress and on or within the boxspring, and in the bed framing. These would be the harborage points closest to sleeping people, so an intensive inspection and treatment must be done for these. The mattress and boxspring should be encased in a high quality encasement permanently, taking away these convenient hiding places for the bedbugs. Dressers and other furniture in the rooms must be treated in screw holes, hinges, drawer slides, and any other crevices. Missing a single hole might miss dozens of bedbugs or their eggs. Anyplace else that people rest or sleep is likely to have bedbugs too, so do not overlook couches and recliners in other rooms.

One excellent tool is a steamer, and a good quality steamer, like the Amerivap carried by Univar, can be used to instantly kill bedbugs and eggs hidden in seams of the mattress, along floor edges, and just about any other place that the steam will not cause damage. A high powered vacuum can also be used to instantly remove many bedbugs from shallow crevices, but their eggs are cemented in place and are not likely to be removed.

The customer must be involved, as virtually everything in the infested rooms could harbor the bugs, including blankets, clothing, suitcases, pillows on chairs, and anything else. All items that can be hot laundered and hot dried should be, and then placed into sealed plastic bags. Anything that cannot be laundered or dry cleaned should still be placed within sealed bags and treated in some manner, whether by heat, freezing, or with vapona strips. Essentially the infested rooms should be emptied or all furnishings treated and confirmed clear of bedbugs before bringing any materials back into them. If the people choose to move out of the home for a few days they should NOT take anything with them that is potentially infested, such as a suitcase or changes of clothing that have not first been laundered and dried.

Bedbugs are now our toughest enemy, and removing them once they are in a home is not easy. But, it also is our chance as an industry to step up and be noticed for taking on this challenge successfully. They cannot be treated as you would any other pest, and insecticides alone may not be successful. Certainly you should plan on and charge for several visits, which will likely be needed. A variety of residual insecticides seem to be working, often with pyrethrum added to the spray solution to achieve faster knockdown, and possibly with an IGR as well. It would be beneficial to get a copy of the excellent resource book – the Bed Bug Handbook – sold by Univar. It is the most current and thorough information available today on how to deal with this insect problem.

Mr. Pest Control

 

January 11, 2010   Posted in: Bed Bug Control, Uncategorized  One Comment

Introducing Talpirid ® Mole Trap By Bell Labs

Talpirid ® Mole Trap By Bell Labs

Bell Laboratories has engineered a heavy-duty dual-spring trap, designed for use by the professional pest control market.

TALPIRID Mole Trap offers professionals speed and safety inservicing mole accounts.

This specially designed “hands-free” trap is fast and easy to place and set.

When set, the low-profile trap sits close to the ground — no bulky metal or equipment stickingout.

The trap can be easily disengaged and relocated to other mole tunnels, depending on molepressure.

TALPIRID Mole Trap can be re-used again and again.

January 7, 2010  Tags: Bell Labs, Talpirid Mole Trap  Posted in: Animal Control, Uncategorized  No Comments

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