Hello, can you please tell me if Ropel would be a good product as a preventative to spray on attic wiring and insulation to prevent any animal (that might get in there) from chewing on anything? How long would Ropel last and how frequently would it have to be applied to attic (or basement) items?
Thanks bunches :-)
~E.
PS…just out of curiosity, you wouldn't happen to be able to answer the following question?
–My friend went outside in her backyard at night, heard a very deep growling sound, and the next day there was a VERY large pile of excrement where she heard the growling. She's convinced it was a bear, however, bears are not usually in this area (Cleveland, Ohio). Sometimes there are 1 or 2 black bear sightings an hour or two east of us, but it would be VERY rare in Cleveland. Any ideas what it could 'actually' have been?
First I'll answer your "PS" question. You'll need to consult with your local wildlife office to see what animals they believe it could be. A quick search on the internet yields several accounts of bears being reported in and around the Cleveland area but I cannot tell if any of the reports are legit. But your local Department of Natural Resources should have a running history of such reports and know for sure if they're active in the area.
As for the ROPEL use in the attic; no doubt it can be used as a repellent to deter animals from chewing wires. Ropel tastes bad and will stop most any animal from chewing any place the Ropel is applied. Since your attic should be sheltered from direct weather impact, treatments would last several weeks if not a few months.
That being said, the ideal way to control this behavior would be to live trap and remove any animal you know is active in your attic. No doubt wire chewing is a very real threat should you allow access by any kind of wild animal. But there are many other reasons why you should remove the invader since they'll no doubt be leaving excrement, making a mess of the insulation and could very well chew on the structure causing structural damage. The bottom line is your attic should be kept free and clear of anything wild to insure the home remains a safe place for you and your family.
Ropel: http://www.bugspraycart.com/repellents/liquid/ropel-liquid
Filed under how to stop by 
I have been seeing a bunch of what I think are boxelder bugs on the back side of my house. I just took a photo of them from this morning. They hang out in groups and it looks like they're trying to get warm. They especially like being around my deck light and the door to my breakfast room. What do can I do to get them off my house?
Right now boxelder bugs are starting to feel the cold and will seek a warm place to spend the night. If you read our BOXELDER BUG CONTROL ARTICLE, you'll learn they can become a real problem if left to do as they want. I suggest you treat now with some CYPERMETHRIN so they don't have a chance to infest the home.
Star by spraying the entire backside of the home on the siding. This should take care of the current activity and the treatment will last a good 2-4 weeks. Be sure to inspect around the home for any other nest locations and take care of them as they appear. Hopefully this is the first time they've tried to move into your house and you won't have a major problem develop. Only time will tell for sure but if you do start seeing them inside, you'll need to treat as our article explains.
Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:
Boxelderbug Control: http://www.bugspray.com/articles98/boxelder.html
Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin
Filed under how to treat by
I live in south Florida and we recently had an extremely hard rain. Now, for the first time, there is a strong musty odor coming up from the crawl space through the floor. I was able to find an opening under the house and sprayed a product called Odor Ban which I bought from Home Depot. It did not eliminate all the odor and I can smell a residual smell from the product.
I read your article about Timbor and Odor Destroyer and would like your professional opinion. Thank you.
Crawl space odor can be a complicated issue but I'll try to provide a summarized list of possible factors that can cause the problem. In general, most crawl spaces should be kept dry. When dry, odor tends to be limited and not able to permeate. But when these areas get wet or damp, odors can arise from the soil. To deal with these odors, it's best to first try and figure out what might be causing them. Once you know the source and the frequency of the problem, a plan of action can be put in place.
The first kind of odor worth mentioning is the occasional problem that can be linked to the outside environment. If you're located alongside a river, canal or lake, high water tables can "push" up moisture and odor through the soil. And if you're dealing with this more than once a year, covering the exposed soil with a POLY MOISTURE BARRIER is strongly suggested. This will help limit the amount of moisture that comes inside. You may also want to install some TEMP VENTS if you don't have good working vents in place that will allow for the proper air flow from and to the crawl space.
The second kind of odor commonly found in crawl spaces is linked to something in the soil. These odors will not be triggered by moisture but instead, they're usually linked to the season, the temperature or some other environmental trigger. Furthermore, these odors are lodged in the soil of the space and because they're literally inside the home, a direct treatment of the dirt is usually required to neutralize the odor. The best product for this would be the NNZ. It can be sprayed using a good PUMP SPRAYER or fogged using a FOGGING MACHINE.
The third kind of odor which can be linked to the environment would be weather related like rain or high humidity which can happen in some regions of the U.S. With this kind of odor, crawl spaces will begin to smell musty, almost moldy, following a heavy rain or humid warm season. This is usually due to some kind of mold or fungus that's moisture dependent. The spores of this mold will be activated and released following a good rain and in some cases, can be a significant issue that needs to be treated more thoroughly compared to the first odor issue. For starters, you may need to protect the exposed wood with TIMBOR or BORACARE or BORACARE W/MOLD CARE (if you think there is already mold present). And once the wood is treated, applying the NNZ over the top would be required to get rid of the odor.
So what kind of problem do you have? I don't have enough information to make the call on this but here are some guidelines you can use to help make a decision on what to use and how to treat. Since this is the first time you've had the problem, it's quite possible you may only have it once every 2-3 years. If that's the case, a treatment with the NNZ is all I would suggest you do for now. NNZ should quickly neutralize the odor and can be applied as needed, as much as you want and whenever you want. But if you find the odor reappearing more and more frequently (which can happen when local water tables change), you might consider doing a heavy soil treatment with the NNZ and then covering the soil with the Poly Moisture Barrier. This way the odor will stand a lot less of a chance making it's way back inside.
Now if the problem still persists and is happening more than twice a year, I'd recommend getting some TIMBOR applied to all the exposed wood in the crawl space as well as applying the Moisture Barrier. This way the moisture that's appearing from time to time won't be able to start growing a mold or fungus as this would be detrimental to the structural members of the home. If you allow mold or fungus to start growing, it could damage the house. This could then lead to other problems including POWDERPOST BEETLES or TERMITES.
So in summary, my first thought is for you to apply some NNZ. I'm confident it will get rid of the odor and if this only pops up every few years, having to do the treatment from time to time won't be too difficult and there won't be any risk to the structural integrity of the home since the moisture isn't showing up several times in any one year. But if the problem gets worse and worse and starts happening throughout the year over and over, no doubt some of the other products listed above will be needed. Good luck!
Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:
Poly Moisture Barrier: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/temp-vents/poly-4-mil-10-x-100
Temp Vents: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/temp-vents/temp-vent-white
NNZ: http://www.bugspraycart.com/sanitizer/liquid/nnz-64-oz
Pump Sprayer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/good/pump-sprayers
Fogging Machine: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/rental/fogging-machine-rental-2-weeks
Boracare: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/boracare-gal
Boracare with Moldcare: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/boracare-with-moldcare
Timbor: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/wettable-powder/timbor
Filed under how to remove by
Hi,
I read your write up on handling nats but this is on the inside of the house because of a lemon tree outside the door with fruit rotting. They got the fruit but I still have a huge nat problem. Can a fogger be used in the house? It is a small unit and mainly in the kitchen. Thanks.
No doubt you could use a FOGGER to kill what's inside the home right now. But will this solve the problem? Probably not. That's because whatever moved inside is no doubt reproducing inside if it's been more than a few days since you started seeing them. More importantly, the tree just outside your door is probably growing more too so in the end, if you go the fogger route, you'll need to apply them over and over. This would not be the best choice for controlling the problem but here are some "better suited" options that will work great and solve the problem at it's root.
First, you need to treat the lemon tree with some MULTIPURPOSE INSECT KILLER. Mix up enough to treat the tree 1-2 times and spray it daily for 4-5 days. This can be done first thing in the morning or later in the evening. Since this is an organic spray, it won't provide any residual which is why you need to spray daily for a few days. This will break the cycle of the gnat.
Second, take any indoor plants you have and lightly spray them too. Any nats which are inside might have targeted indoor plants once inside the home. Also spray down the soil in the potted plant as there are lots of nats that love nesting in soil. If possible, take these outside when spraying and then within 5-10 minutes they can come back inside.
Third, use AQUACIDE for the inside of the home. It will only take 5 seconds worth of spray for most any room and lightly misting them daily for a week or so should do the job for all the ones you're seeing inside. Aquacide won't provide any residual so you'll need to use it daily. Either once in the morning or once at night should do the job but if you find them reappearing within one day, go for twice a day sprayings. In the end, the Aquacide will be doing what a fogger would do but be a lot more cost effective.
Lastly, if you have a "sinkerator", treat it with some SURVIVORS. There are many species of nats which love living down the drain and Survivors is the best option for removing these nest sites.
Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:
Multipurpose Insect Killer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/liquid/multi-purpose-insect-killer-24-oz
Aquacide: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/aquacide-aerosol-20-oz
Survivors: http://www.bugspraycart.com/sanitizer/liquid/survivors
Total Release Fogger: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/indoor-fogger-6-oz
Filed under Blog by
hi jonathan,
i came across your website in search of a solution to my cricket problem. i have a finished basement and don't know where to begin with treatment for this problem. i have had someone professional come out in the past to spray in/out of the house and it seems to control the prob for a while, but they seem to be coming back in force now. they are mostly in the bsement, which like i said is finished and has two bedrooms where children sleep.
do you know of any non-toxic non-chemical solution that can be used? i have a lot of children and that is why i didn't call the spray guy back out as it freaks me out every time at the thought of them breathing in or coming in contact with whatever he uses. any help would be appreciated.
as i read the article, i don't see any in the crawlspaces and can't figure out where they are getting in really. some have managed to make it up to the main floor which is really freaking me out. i need help fast!!!…i live in new jersey and i notice now that the weather is getting cooler, the activity seems to be increasing. thanks in advance for your help. please reply…(nervous mom of 8 with severe insect phobia!!!! lol) if one more of these things jumps right at me, i'm moving!!!
No doubt that the cooler temps at night are driving these guys into your home. This is normal. The key is to make the area they want to live uninhabitable. If you don't have any crawl spaces and the basement is finished, the most likely place they're living is the space between the finished walls and the concrete walls of the foundation. There is usually a space behind the wall, at least the width of the studs that are holding the wall together, and this space may or may not be filled with insulation. Regardless, it's a prime spot for them to nest.
So at this point I'd recommend doing most everything we have listed in our CAVE CRICKET CONTROL ARTICLE. On the outside of the home, you should spray some CONQUER. I'd especially focus on any mulch, deck or other shady area where they might be hiding. There most be a "hot spot" close to if not on the home where they're focused. If you're able to find this spot, you can no doubt kill any out there now which in turn will prevent more from migrating inside.
As for the inside area; I'd recommend some GLUE TRAPS set out in any of the rooms where you're seeing crickets. These are non toxic and in fact not a pesticide at all. They'll do a good job of collecting any that forage around and can be a good indicator of where problems are focused. This in turn will help you identify where you really need to treat.
I also recommend treating the wall space (inside the wall) with the DELTAMETHRIN DUST listed in our article. If you're able to get each of these "compartments" treated, there will be little to no chance of them using this space as a nest site. Yes it will require a lot of dusting but if you want them gone, this must be done.
Use a HAND DUSTER to apply the dust and though you're not wanting to treat where your kids will be, remember that in this case you're actually treating the space behind the wall. If you do the treatment right there will be nothing in the living area so in fact there will be no risk or danger present to you or your family. Also, dust applications will remain active for 6 months or more so you don't have to do this frequently. In my experience, a good dusting behind the walls can do wonders at solving this kind of problem and in fact, many times the dust alone can solve a problem for many years.
In summary, this approach will enable you to treat the problem properly without having to spray anything in the living spaces. The real key will be the wall space dusting. If you have a drop ceiling that will let you push up tiles so you can dust behind the wall from the top side by reaching over the wall, that would be ideal. Alternatively, drilling small holes in between each stud will be needed as a "port" to get the dust injected. These holes need only be small enough to fit the duster tip so they won't be large. After the treatment they can be sealed up too.
Now if the wall is insulated, you'll need to place holes in the bottom, middle and top of the wall to insure the dust flows uniformly throughout the space. But if the wall is not insulated, a hole up top is all you'll need. Through the one hole you'll be able to dust and with the help of gravity, the dust will filter down through the open space behind the wall covering so no holes will be needed in the middle or bottom sections but you'll still get that vital area treated.
Give us a call if you need further help; our toll free is 1-800-877-7290. Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:
Cave Cricket Control Article: http://www.bugspray.com/articles98/camelcrickets.html
Conquer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/conquer-esfenvalerate
Cricket Traps: http://www.bugspraycart.com/traps/pheromone-and-food/scorpion-insect-lizard-15-pk
Deltamethrin Dust: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/deltamethrin-dust
Hand Duster: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/crusader
Filed under Blog by
What do you recommend ? I forgot to unpack two knitted mink items. A Stole and a Bolero Jacket….last spring. They were in a box all summer. When I discovered the box with the items, there were white maggots on the Fur. I dusted them off and hung up the items in the air. Don't know where the maggots went, what do you recommend? Fur Cleaning for the Fur pieces or one of your products??? Please advise. Thank you.
This is a tough one. Since the infestation has seemingly relocated, I don't know that a garment treatment with our products is warranted. But I do recommend getting them dry cleaned. This will no doubt kill most anything left on them if the cleaning is done by traditional dry cleaning methods.
Furthermore, I'm not able to tell 100% for sure what the pest involved may have been. I'm thinking it could have been clothing mothes but cigarettte beetles will commonly infest clothing as will carpet beetles. All these pests require different treatments and the list of treatment options are too many to isolate just 1-2 general applications that would cover it all. That being said you still need to do something or else it could turn out that a really bad problem is being missed.
For now, I suggest you install some of the "pheromone" traps we have listed in our "most likely pest" articles. As you'll see, we have different traps for the more common insects that could have been on the fur. And if you review each article for these pests, you might be even be able to identify which of them it is based on something our article talks about. Once you know the exact species of insect involved, you'll probably need to treat because it's not likely the only place they've been living was on that fur. I'm willing to bet they're somewhere else in your home right now and could be doing similar damage to some rugs, furniture, drapery or other clothing. Unfortunately there isn't any practical way to proceed until we either know a) where they're active or b) what species of insect they might be. Once we ascertain that information, we should be able to proceed with a logical approach to getting the problem resolved.
Here is the "short" list of what I'm willing to bet these guys were:
Carpet Beetles: http://www.bugspray.com/articles98/carpetbeetle.html
Cigarette Beetles: http://www.bugspray.com/article/cigarettebeetle.html
Clothing Moths: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page765.html
Drugstore Beetles: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page1017.html
Each one of the articles above covers all you'll need to know about each pest. And in each article you'll find links to "glue type" traps that can be installed in your home to both "monitor" and trap any foraging pests. Once we start collecting some adult stages of this pest in a trap, we'll be able to identify what it is and from there, determine the best treatment option to get any problem under control.
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Going to Longboat for a couple of months with small dog. I react to no see ums. Just returned Oct 1-15 from Sanibel with many bites. Is Atlantic coast better for not having these terrible pests?
There really isn't any difference that you can bank on. In general, there are many factors that affect when these guys are active, how many will be present, how long they'll live, etc. But above all else, they tend to be most active and thriving along the coast of any ocean, sea, canal or other waterway with salt water. No doubt the entire Gulf of Mexico is prime ground as your experience at Sanibel confirms. And since the Gulf can remain moist and warm throughout the year, no see ums can be found any time.
As for the Atlantic shoreline; this region tends to get too cold once you move above North Carolina. But if you were to be traversing water in Florida, there is a good chance you'll encounter more. You may want to consider one of our repellents like DEET, SUNBLOCK AND REPELLENT, DEET LOTION or PERMETHRIN SPRAY for your boat and clothing. Any combination of these can really help make them more manageable. And a HEAD NET may offer some relief too.
Here are direct links to the products listed above:
Deet: http://www.bugspraycart.com/repellents/liquid/deet-100
Sunblock/Repellent: http://www.bugspraycart.com/repellents/liquid/sunblock-repellent-4-7-oz-rts
Deet Lotion: http://www.bugspraycart.com/repellents/liquid/deet-20-lotion-6-oz
Permethrin Spray: http://www.bugspraycart.com/repellents/aerosol/permethrin-aerosol-6-oz
Head Net: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/netting/mosq-head-net
Filed under Blog by
Hi, I have these little knats in my grass outside. When the grass is ruffled, they fly out of the grass. They also fly around in the air. I have a little dog and have to be very careful of which products to use. Do you have any recommendations? Thanks much.
The organic option would be to spray some BUG PATROL over the area. It's compliant to be used for organic gardening and works on anything in the turf.
The stronger option would be the CYONARA RTS. It will no doubt work too but overall it will last a lot longer compared to the Bug Patrol. This way you won't have to spray it as frequently. That being said, the gnats active right now are largely due to the warm air that's been hanging around as the fall here in the U.S. has been slow to turn really cold and move to winter. Once it gets does, the gnats will slow down but getting them now before they're gone due to winter will help keep them minimized for next year so it's a great idea to treat now.
As for the pet; just keep him off the grass till treatments dry. He can then come back onto the area without undue harm or risk. View our safety video on any product page for more details on how to safely handle, apply and store our products but either of these are very safe to use according to label.
Here are direct links to these in our product catalog:
Bug Patrol: http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/liquid/bug-patrol-32-oz-rts
Cyonara RTS: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/cyonara-32-oz-rts
Filed under Blog by
Question—we get a smell from a closet in one room—we feel it is coming from the attic (the only time we get this smell is when the furnace or air conditioner is OFF). There is no force air circulation going on.
At first we thought is was a dead animal however each year the smell comes back.. After searching on the internet our attic insulation might be causing the problem.
NNZ or N7Z; are these products you can spray? Secondly if I can spray it – can I spray it on attic insulation?
Do you think it would help or rather replace the insulation? Any thoughts would be appreciated.
There is most likely one of two contributing factors responsible for this odor issue. The first place to look would be the insulation. Most materials used for insulation can in fact harbor and hold odor. This odor would not be noticeable when the air flow is "out" of the living space. But as soon as the air flow is neutral (like when the furnace blower is off), the smell will reappear.
The second likely culprit could be the duct work or filters in the furnace. At some point something could have gotten in there leading to an odor which again will only be detectable when air flow is neutral.
Though replacing your insulation is an option, it would first be quite expensive and without knowing for sure whether it's at fault, a risky way to attempt solving this matter without first doing a some more testing to better identify the source. I suggest treating the insulation with either the NNZ or N7Z to see if it helps or has no impact. If it doesn't help, you'll know for sure the insulation isn't involved and at that time could move on attempting to locate the real source. This would avoid the cost of both removing and replacing said insulation.
And though spraying either up in the attic is an option, I recommend applying the product with one of our B&G FOGGING MACHINES. You can either purchase the unit or rent it. Rentals are good for 2 weeks of use so you'd have access to the unit for plenty of time to see if the targeted area you treat is involved. Misting is a much better way to get uniform coverage. Plus it removes the risk of "pooling" the spray which can leak down to the living spaces causing other issues that would have to be repaired.
If the insulation isn't the source, I would then recommend fogging the intake vent for the furnace. You would want to do this when the unit is on. A light mist being "sucked" into the vent won't have an impact on the furnace or duct work but if the source of the odor is inside, the odor neutralizer will readily remove most if not all of it. After misting it for a minute or two, you would then shut the unit down and see if the odor comes back or has been weakened by the treatment. If it's been weakened, you can then proceed to treat the duct work more thoroughly with the goal to be getting it well enough treated so the odor is rendered undetectable.
Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:
NNZ: http://www.bugspraycart.com/sanitizer/liquid/nnz-64-oz
N7C: http://www.bugspraycart.com/sanitizer/liquid/n-7c-64-oz
Fogging Machine: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/foggers/bg-my-t-lite-2300-120-v
Fogging Machine Rental: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/rental/fogging-machine-rental-2-weeks
Filed under Blog by
I have found some egg casings on my wildlife mounts. I am getting some hair slippage and took an antelope mount back to the taxadermist to check. He said there is a weavel infestation going on. What is the best product to use that won't stain the fur and is somewhat enviornmentally friendly as we have small children around?
You've got a few options here. The exempt option would be ECO KO AEROSOL. Made from food stuff, it's very safe to use and if applied a couple of times a month, you'll get the problem under control and keep it under control.
For longer control, use the PHANTOM AEROSOL. It's odorless and goes on dry. I use it all around my home for many pests because I have hardwood floors and the Phantom doesn't go on wet or messy. Even after it's applied you can't tell it's there. Phantom will last a good long time so treatments would be a lot less. Maybe once every 1-2 months. Over time this would be less costly and more efficient.
Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:
ECO KO Aerosol: http://www.bugspraycart.com/exempt/aerosol/eco-exempt-org-ko-aero-14-oz
Phantom Aerosol: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/pt-phantom-17-5oz
Filed under Blog by
hi
i have read your article on stink bugs!! i was very happy to find it. i have just moved into a new home and these stink bugs are invading our whole upstairs although we haven't seen many downstairs! i've seen 1 outside but thousands inside… please tell me how to get rid of these forever!! and here's 1 question please.. i have small children; do they bite and can they harm you???
If you read through our STINKBUG CONTROL ARTICLE, you'll learn these guys live for many years and tend to use the same house every year for their winter shelter. My guess is they've got your house marked as a great place to stay and that over the last few years, more and more have learned to hang out there in the fall and winter. To defeat them will require some action on your part as explained in our article (link above and below) but here are some brief guidelines on what you'll need to do..
For starters, you can treat the cracks and crevices of the rooms where you see them with some DFORCE or TOPIA AEROSOL. Both will kill on contact; the Dforce provides a long lasting residual where as the Topia is the organic option and as such will have to be applied over and over. Topia is more of a contact killer only.
I also suggest you set out some STINKBUG LIGHT TRAPS as they will do a great job of helping the cause and reducing the local activity. Lastly, even though you don't see any outside, treating the siding of the home with some CYPERMETHRIN can really help get rid of them as they move in and out of the home. As our article explains, these guys will remain active in the fall foraging out on warm days to find food and then back into the home at night when it gets cool. If the home is treated outside, they'll pick up a lethal dose of the treatment when moving over it which in turn will reduce their numbers. This is vital for getting long term control of the problem. In the end it's the outside treatments that will both defeat and prevent future infestations on the inside.
Regarding the stinkbugs and whether they bite or not; generally they do not present any kind of hazard to people. The biggest "problem" with them is that they smell. Homes with active infestations will many times take on the odor of these bugs which is nasty. If you allow them to exist for a few seasons, no doubt the home will start to "stink" requiring more than just the insecticides we recommend.
Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:
Stinkbug Control Article: http://www.bugspray.com/article/stinkbug.html
Dforce Aerosol: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/d-force-14-oz-aerosol
Topia Aerosol: http://www.bugspraycart.com/exempt/aerosol/topia-exempt-aerosol-17-oz
Stinkbug Traps: http://www.bugspraycart.com/traps/pheromone-and-food/asian-ladybug-light-trap
Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin
Filed under stinkbugs by
Hello, I have a case of whitefly infestation on my ficus hedge fence where the leaves have fallen approx 75%, and the remainder leaves will probably all be gone in the next week. Can the plants still be salvageable? If so, what is the type of treatment you recommend at this stage?
Also I have planted a new section of podocarpus hedge about a month ago in another area, and would like to do preventive treatment on them as well.
I have read your information on white fly control, but would like to use the most effective treatment, consider the stage of each problem area.
Thanks.
I recommend the BIFEN and IGR combination suggested in our WHITEFLY CONTROL ARTICLE. I'd hold off using the SPREADER STICKER since it can hurt weak plants which are no doubt more vulnerable once under the whitefly attack.
Treat all of the plants showing signs of the whitefly and for any you'd like to keep safe, treat them as well. Do a thorough treatment at least twice. Following the second application, you can then focus on infected plants only. I've been able to solve even the most infestation using this pattern and along the way, saved many other plants before they too were consumed.
Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:
Bifen: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/bifen
IGR: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/igr/igr-nylar
Whitefly Article: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page1253.html
Spreader Sticker: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/additive/spreader-sticker
Filed under Blog by
We have a problem with tiny black spots the size of the head of a pin on our windows and door on front of our house. Do you know what is causing this and
do you have a spray that will take care of the problem?
There are several things this could be. The first thing that pops to mind is a mold or fungus. Treat with some MOLD/FUNGUS KILLER and if that's what you have growing, it will quickly die off and fall off to the yard below.
The second thing that comes to mind would be spider droppings. If you've got lots of spiders up around the soffits and gutters, no doubt their droppings can be a problem anywhere below a spider nest. Here's some more information on this kind of problem:
http://www.brownrecluse.com/treatments/spider-droppings.html
If you think the spots are from spiders, you'll need to do some outside spider treatments as suggested in this article:
http://www.brownrecluse.com/brown-recluse-spider-control/spiders-outside
The third thing I that pops into my mind is some kind of insect. Are the spots moving or appear alive? Get close to one and see. If after a close inspection you decide it's alive and moving, collect some samples and get them identified by a local pest control service or extension agent. Once we know what you've got, I'm sure we'll have some suggestions on how to get rid of them.
Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:
Mold Algae Killer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/fungicide/mossalgae-killer-32oz-rts
Spider Dropping Information: http://www.brownrecluse.com/treatments/spider-droppings.html
Spider Treatments (outside): http://www.brownrecluse.com/brown-recluse-spider-control/spiders-outside
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Hi there.
I have a skunk or something living under my main stairs in the front yard.
My wife is concerned if I use the Giant Destroyer product:
1. the animal will die, decompose and smell for a very long time.
2. the product will kill the skunk rather than allow the skunk to escape out of the hole.
3. the decomposing corpse will permeate inside the house.
Comments?
Your wife is dead on right. In fact, if you review our SKUNK CONTROL PRODUCTS, you won't even find GIANT DESTROYER listed. That's because it's barely strong enough to kill skunks and in our experience tends to make them sick – not dead. The net result is that Giant Destroyers don't work for skunks. And even if it did, there is a great chance of whatever you have living there will die somewhere out of sight so the issue of "dead animal odor" is a real threat no matter what's burrowing.
You see, in most cases Giant Destroyers will kill animals way down in the farthest, deepest recess of their nest. And when they die there, it will take a long time for them to rot. Lastly, certain animals are more likely to really smell and skunk are up high on that list. If this location where you want to deploy the Giant Destroyers is within 50 yards of the home, expect the smell to be lingering. And if its within 10 yards of the home, expect the smell to permeate inside the home too.
So when is a Giant Destroyer good to deploy? When you're using them out in the open far away from a residential home or when the animal is small, like a chipmunk or vole, which doesn't have much of a body. This way if they die close to the home the smell is a non issue. But the mass of the average skunk combined with the glands they naturally have is a recipe for a long lasting, nasty odor.
On top of those stats, in only about 50% of the time will people actually find the animal if the treatment is successful so in the end, there is almost always a long period of time following the application which will include the smell of a dead animal. Though small animals like rats, mice, voles and chipmunks aren't too bad, anything in the woodchuck, possum, rabbit or skunk size can be down right nasty! To avoid this problem, the use of a live trap is strongly suggested.
Now if you're not sure what the animal might be, the simplest thing to do is set out a few piles of food as close to where you suspect this animal is moving about. This location could be a visible entrance/exit hole. And I suggest three kinds of food for this "pre baiting" procedure.
If you feed pets outside or have a pet that you feed dry food to, use some of this in one pile. Pet food is the number one reason animals come around homes and why they tend to burrow and nest adjacent to or under any house. In the second pile set out bird seed. If you or any local neighbor have bird feeders, no doubt the seed is attracting all kinds of animals and this is the second most common reason animals will dig burrows adjacent to or under residential homes. Lastly, some kind of fruit, vegetable or other nearby plant you suspect this animal might be eating. Burrowing animals are either meat feeders (pet food), nut eaters (bird seed) or vegetarians (plants) so one of these piles will readily be consumed.
More importantly, urban animals will attempt to make burrows close to where they feed so I'm fairly certain one of the three food options I listed is readily available close to the burrow. And once you find out which food this animal prefers, you can set some out in one of the traps we have listed in our skunk product section and you'll soon have it trapped.
At that point you can relocate or destroy the animal as you see fit. Now once it's gone, you will probably notice a lingering odor in it's now abandoned burrow. This is normal and should be expected. More important, it would be wise to disinfect it using some of the NC7 listed with our skunk products.
NC7 will deactivate any odor and this is vital in the animal removal process. Remember, this burrow is now ripe with fresh animal smells and will no doubt be getting the attention of any other similar animals in the community. Abandoned burrows are prime real estate and will quickly be occupied by many other species of animals if left alone and untreated. Neutralizing the scent left behind by flooding it out with the NC7 will help prevent this from happening. After soaking it good with a few gallons of the product let it sit for a day or two and then try to fill it in as much as possible. If you do this process properly, this problem should be easy to resolve. Good luck!
Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:
Skunk Products: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page600.html
Giant Destroyer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/repellents/fumigant/giant-destroyer-4-pk
NC7: http://www.bugspraycart.com/sanitizer/liquid/n-7c-64-oz
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