hear that other people have lots of bugs in their houses this spring? We have some big ants - carpenter? and smaller ones - sugar?

We've been using a boric acid terro product

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, sticky traps and this spray. we still see some although not as much as before spraying in crevices / out of the way places. Don't want to spray too much till I learn more about this or other products.

Seems everyone (costco, home depot and others) are promoting this product. Anyone know if the ingredients are 'bad' for people and pets?

I would think there's some things that will kill ants but you don't want it near humans / pets. And other things that are less harmful to non bug creatures? Anyone know how this fits in the spectrum? ie can I spray this lots in out of the way areas and not make my house a toxic waste dump?

Do these chemicals break down? Is that why you need to respray every few months? But in a container / liquid form it doesn't break down? Or a 1 year old bottle on the shelf is worthless?

any other products you'd recommend that will get rid of bugs (mostly ants and some stink bugs) and not be (too much?) of a hazard to people and pets?
THANKS!

 

The active ingredients are good ones and are used by pros. Bifenthrin by itself is excellent.You can buy the concentrate and mix it with water according to the labeled directions yourself and use it in a compressed air sprayer or in a trigger bottle. The concentrates will last for a couple years in the bottle if stored at room temperature, more or less. The mixed product will last several weeks to several months, but require shaking well prior to using. Once sprayed, all insecticides begin to break down by sunlight, ultraviolet light.

If the liquid Terro is working , then keep using it. At other times of the year their dietary needs may change and they stop eating it. If/when that happens, try the gel baits that come in plastic syringes. These particular baits are for the small ants, not carpenter ants.

Don't spray anything near the bait as you will be working against your baiting strategy. The sprays have a repellency factor too, that you don't want near the baits. Same with boric acid; it has repellency. If you see ants eating bait, back off and let them eat. They really do take it back and feed the colony.

All the sprays as well as boric acid have residual effects. Put them where you want them and simply keep them off of counter tops, table tops, etc. They are water based and won't go airborne nearly to the extent that aerosols do.