The Holiday time of year brings many invited guest and some
not so invited guest into our homes and landscapes. The cooler weather drives
roaches and rodents into homes and businesses were it is warm. Fleas seem to
flourish during the winter when you would think you would be done with them for
the year. Drain flies always threaten to take off with the family turkey at
Thanksgiving dinner. Bedbugs are an increasing problem in the Lowcountry that
some of your invited guest (or college student) might bring into your home.
Outside the moles are going crazy trying to find food before the food tunnels
too deep.
Roaches are best treated outside your house – a perimeter
treatment. Eco-PCO WPX, Essentria G, and InTice granular bait are three good
organic choices. Bifen liquid and granular or Cyonara liquid and granular are four
good traditional control products.
The granular products are easy to apply in mulched beds
around a structure. The spray able products can be used around windows, around entry
doors, around garage doors and in mulched beds. When using a liquid product in
mulch, use a lot of water to get the product in the target area. For pests
other than roaches, you can also spray around porch lights and in corners where
spiders congregate.
If some of the roaches have entered your home, these liquids
can be used to spray in cracks and crevices inside your home where the roaches
live. When I have roaches in a structure, I prefer to use a gel bait product. InVict
Gold and MaxForce Magnum are two gels that are very effective.
I prefer the gel products because of the domino effect they
have on the roach population. One roach can eat the gel and effect several
other roaches by touch and by the fecal pellets. Just like killing fire ants
with a bait product – a little active ingredient goes a long way.
For extended control you can apply products in wall voids,
attics, crawl spaces and other labeled areas. InTice granular weatherized bait
and BorActin are two Orthoboric acid products that will give you very long
control and are “Green”. CimeXa is a silica gel product that will also provide
long term control, and is also LEED tier 3 product.
Well, it looks like I’ll have to address the other uninvited
guests after Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving and watch out for the drain flies
making off with your turkey!
Always read, understand and follow product label. The
product label is a Federal Law.
