3 minute read
Complete control of crawling insects
What is the best method for controlling the unwelcome range of crawling pests inside your house or buildings and outside in the surrounding areas?
Crawling insects are insects or pests that don’t fly, or if they do fly their initial impact is in the larval stage before they gain wings in adulthood. The most common crawling household pests are ants, cockroaches, silver fish, carpet beetles, mites, springtails, fleas, ticks, cluster flies, bed bugs, white-tailed spiders and a myriad of other spider species. Locating their habitat and movements can help identify them as well as ascertain their numbers. It is then possible to work out the best control strategy. The most confusing aspect of crawling insect control is not the large number of species, but rather the large number of
insecticides that claim to control them. Not only are there many different active ingredients but there are also many different formulations, as well as traps, baits and lures of various descriptions. Despite the large number of different active ingredients, all insecticides fall into either of two categories. They are either repellent or non-repellent. Unfortunately, many insecticides don’t actually state this on the label, and this can lead to the wrong product being used for the wrong pest. Most insecticides claim efficacy on a wide range of pests but if the insecticide is repellent, the only insects killed will be the ones coming in direct contact with the applied chemical as it is delivered. Most of the pests that are not in target range at application (this can be most of the population) will avoid the sprayed area because of its high level of repellence. In general, only a small percentage of any population is visible at any one time. To ensure a pest population eventually encounters a sprayed surface, it is important to apply only a non-repellent insecticide. This should last for many months on the sprayed surface and still be efficacious even on porous surfaces. Many formulations such as Emulsifiable Concentrates (EC’s) are absorbed into porous surfaces and have limited residual activity. Insecticides that have the best activity on all applied surfaces are water-based suspension concentrates (SC’s). These are also less likely to damage paint and wallpaper when applied. No Pests Crawling spray for indoor applications and No Pests X It Ant for outdoor use have both been designed specifically for New Zealand conditions and have a high level of efficacy as well as being suspension concentrates with no repellence. Another feature of No Pests Crawling spray is that 90 percent of the active ingredient particles are smaller than 10 microns in diameter. This very small particle size allows for optimum spray contact and assists in rapid uptake of the insecticide into the insect. To maintain the level of non-repellence it is important that sprayers do not have residues of any repellent chemicals. Either use a dedicated sprayer that is only used for nonrepellent application or clean your sprayer by filling with a solution of Persil Automatic to soak overnight and thoroughly rinsing before use. This article will be continued in the November edition of The Farmlander.
For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
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