Choosing pesticides for application during a regular follow up service

1. No Issues

If the client is having no issues and the weather is dry, the best course of action would be to use a residual repellant like Demand CS. This can be used in the eaves and on the foundation and perimeter if it is not raining during the application. It provides lasting protection against a wide range of pests and actively discourages them from entering and crawling on a structure.

If a client has a history of issues with ants, it is best to use a non-repellant material (such as Termidor SC) during the spring or early summer service to avoid pushing ants inside, prompting a return visit.

2. Small Ants

On occasion clients will report of small ant issues when you arrive. After inspecting and baiting inside as needed (see PS.224, PS.240), you will need to choose a non-repellant residual to service the perimeter. Non-repellants are indetectable by the ants allowing them to continue trailing in and out of the building across the treated area. This maximizes the exposure the ants get as well as increasing transport of the material to the nest.

1. 1. Termidor SCDuring the warmer parts of the year when pest activity is high, Termidor is a great non-repellant to use due to its efficacy on a broad range of pests. This means that while you treat the foundation for the small ants it will also control carpenter ants. You can also treat eaves and other harborage areas, helping to control spiders, wasps, and other pests. Remember! Termidor can only be used twice at the 0.06% Finished Dilution Rate in a calendar year.

1. 2. Advion WDGAdvion is highly effective on small ants and can be used during wet weather, if you do not apply in areas with standing water or runoff. The label is broad in scope, covering many pests and areas of treatment. Unfortunately, it isn’t effective on spiders or larger Hymenoptera such as carpenter ants and wasps, so other measures will need to be taken, especially in the warmer months.

3. Carpenter Ants 

Carpenter ants are a common wood destroying organism (WDO) in the northwest. These ants will establish satellite colonies within structures, leading to possible damage. During the warmer months of the year, they will stay in constant contact with the main nest (where the queen(s) reside) with workers trailing back and forth, transporting brood and food.

Treatment for carpenter ants is only done in the warmer parts of the year when they are actively foraging outside (typically April – October). Best practice would be a perimeter treatment with Termidor SC or equivalent Fipronil based non-repellant. Make sure to service all access points to the structure, including overhead lines, posts, and fence attachments. Termidor has a slow mode of action and a high transfer rate helping it get deep into the nest for maximum effect. It will take 3-4 weeks for full control. Remember! Termidor can only be used twice at 0.06% Finish Dilution Rate in a twelve-month period.

4. Wasps
   4. On the structure

Open comb paper wasp nests in the eves can be easily taken care of with a repellant like Demand CS. For a quicker knock down Demand can be synergized (mixed) with another product with a faster kill rate like Exciter. Consult both labels before mixing materials.

For more aggressive species like Bald Face Hornets or Yellow jackets, nests located on or within a structure can be serviced using Termidor SC. The nest entrance should be serviced, getting as much material as you can inside per the label. The transfer effect of the non-repellant getting on the wasps when they land will take more time but is highly effective.

2. Not on the structure

Hornet and yellow jacket nests not on the structure can be difficult. Termidor is not labeled for use on nests located off structures, and so it cannot be used.

PT Wasp Freeze aerosol has a fast knock down and can be used on ariel nests effectively but has no residual effect. It is also labeled for ground nests but can be difficult to use in such situations. You must get material on the nest structure, which can be difficult to confirm with ground nesting Yellow Jackets. You may be treating the soil around the nest and not the nest itself.

A backpack sprayer with a mixture of Demand with Exciter can be effective on both types of nests. The Exciter has a fast knock down while the Demand provides a lasting residual effect, dispatching any wasps that land on it later.

For difficult nests or for a retreatments, dust insecticides are a viable option. Within the constraints of the label, make applications into the nest entrance using a hand or power duster.

5. Overwintering Pests

As temperatures drop in the fall, many species of insects and bugs are attracted to the warmth and shelter provided by homes. They will congregate on the sunny side of the home and attempt to enter the structure through cracks and vents to overwinter. Although total extermination isn’t a realistic outcome, populations can be greatly reduced by applying a repellant (Demand, with Exciter for bigger infestations), to the areas where they collect, eves, and around doors and windows. This type of application is most effective when the bugs are present in highest numbers, preferably on a warmer day.

6. Rodents (Rodenticides)

For clients on the Premiere Insect plus Rodent service program, exterior rodent baiting may be part of their regular service. See PS.105for guidance on exterior rodent baiting.