All posts in “Transport”

What is the BEST Termiticide in 2012?

 What is the BEST Termiticide in 2012?

 

I get this question asked of me several times each week and today I’m going to give you my opinion as to the best of the best termiticides. OK so the answer is ——

I have to be honest I really like 2 different termiticides and in each product comes some special features and benefits. I’ll do this in alphabetical order.

Termidor by BASF – The “Transfer Effect” – the greatest single event in termiticide in the last 100 years. This Transfer Effect kills by ingestion, contact, and this effect affects insects by spreading Termidor throughout the colony before dying themselves. Undetectable non-repellent – termites cannot see, smell, taste or avoid  this product.Termidor is engineered to be slow-acting, termites have ample time to spread throughout the entire termite populations.

Transport by FMC – I would not have imagined that by mixing two products, especially a repellent and a non-repellent that the result would be as unique as this product. Two active treatment zones within the soil.  Two active Ingredients –  Bifenthrin with 18 plus years of testing by the USDA and Acetamiprid. The  encompassing outer zone is what provides the quick results of termites invading the inside or outside of a structure while the inner zone provides a blanket of long term protection.

Each of these products provides complex attributes which bring unique circumstances to termite treatments.

Water Damage can occur inside or outside.

Water Damage can occur inside or outside.

 

    

Depending on circumstances water can leak or enter wood in a variety of ways. Improper flashing at a roof or leakage near a shower of bath can result in damage occurring and often times tracing its way to the ground. If this happens it can reduce the amount of termiticide needed to prevent termites from entering a home.

Termites are a threat to your home and result in over 5 billion dollars of damage each year in the U.S. Termite treatment is a job best handled by Professional Pest Management companies due to the equipment and techniques needed to perform the work.

Termites can pop up in the weirdest places.

Termites can pop up in the weirdest places.

 

         

With termites you never know where they will show up, I have seen them in bathrooms and garages. Really almost anywhere in the home, they are not real peculiar in where they show up.

Any crack or intrusion within that concrete slab allows them access. Given that crack – they will find it.

Technology continues to advance with new and unique termiticides, Termidor, Transport and Altriset.

“Call a Pro… Call the Best. ProBest!”

Transport Termiticide

Transport Termiticide and how does it work, really. Taking termite control to the next level.

With its unique non-repellent formulation, Transport® termiticide by FMC quickly controls termite infestations that are causing costly structural and cosmetic damage to your customers’ homes while also providing long term protection from future termite invasions.

Transport termiticide is extremely effective at controlling all three genera of termites, including Reticulitermes, Heterotermes and Coptotermes. With its improved speed of knockdown, lasting residual and good resistance management properties, Transport has shown incredible performance even in seriously infested structures. Efficacy data shows that in 94% of treatments, Transport termiticide stopped termite activity within 30 days of treatment.

An application with Transport (label) (msds)actually creates two active treatment zones within the soil. The outer zone provides quick results against termites active inside and outside of the structure, while the inner zone provides a long-lasting barrier of protection to prevent future invasions.

I mentioned yesterday that the only issue I had with Termidor was that it might allow termites an opportunity to rebuild a tube or tunnel and create a callback – this product effectively eliminates that worry.

Termidor WG80, Termidor SC and Termidor Dry

The choice of Pest Management Professionals………..

Photo by PPMA

Photo by PPMA

We offer our customers a choice of two termiticides, today we will discuss Termidor by BASF and tomorrow Transport by FMC.

Termidor 80 WG (the “WG” in Termidor 80 WG stands for wettable granule)  and Termidor SC (the “SC” in Termidor SC stands for suspended concentrate.) when mixed with water they make the same type of solution. They are in fact different formulations of the same product.

  1. Kills by ingestion, contact, and the “Transfer Effect” meaning affected insects help spread Termidor throughout the colony before dying themselves.
  2. Manages colonies up to 6 times faster than bait systems.
  3. Most effective termiticide – over 10 years of test data prove most effective and fastest at eliminating termite populations.
  4. Responsible, low-dose treatment, with no odor.

Termite TreatmentBASF also introduced a dry formulation “Termidor Dry” that can be injected into galleries and wood members where termites are present.

The one and only issue I have is this – months after a job is completed with Termidor another colony of termites may attempt to gain access into the home. Termidor does allow this, however in 90 days the termites will be dead. You don’t want a termiticide to kill to fast as the termites will block tunnels on the dead termites. Now the issue is a callback, most people when they see a tube or tunnel will call and want us to return – so it’s a callback for me. Don’t get me wrong all those little termites will be dead (I think) in the tunnels but a rebuilt tube is a rebuilt tube….

and now ——- Termidor HE Co pack – High Efficiency

Termidor HE Copack expands upon the proven Termidor SC formulation with the addition of a BASF proprietary molecule that temporarily “boosts” the transport of fipronil, the active ingredient in Termidor, into the soil and creates an enhanced protection zone around the structure being treated. Benefits can include applying 50 percent of the water, and thus half the finished solution of a typical Termidor PerimeterPlus application.* It also requires 77 percent smaller trenches and allows for wider hole spacing.

ProBest Pest Management had the opportunity to participate with field trials here in Arizona and this product really works. Why not work with a company that industry manufacturers go to – to test their products? ProBest Pest Management followed protocols and continue to do periodic checks on these homes in the test program.

The artistic termite!

The artistic termite!

 

Most people probably would think that termites are just destructive and be done with it. Not so, says Dr. Bug and Jerry Schappert from http://www.pestcemetery.com sent this picture that illustrates this point. I wrote a home seal some time ago called “Termite castles and their artwork” that shows that termites can be quite the decorators.

Not all things are bad, so when your hiking in the desert look around and take in nature. Everything has its place, even the termites…

I can spot these from the streets – termite tubes…

I can spot these from the streets – termite tubes… Can you?

 

     

Well it’s that time of year to be watching out for termites here in Arizona. Monsoon brings water and rain and the termites begin to forage because of it. So this is what you keep an eye out for, mud tubes or tunnels and if they get into the home drop tubes or damage on the sheetrock or drywall.

So if you see something suspicious call us to take a look, it may be nothing or it might be those pesky little termites. p

ProBest Pest Management

425 W. Guadalupe Road #110

Gilbert, Arizona 85233

480-831-9328 or 623-414-0176

PestTube! What is this thing

PestTube! What is this thing.

Pestubes-In-The-Wallis a proactive, centralized pest control system designed to deliver a mild residual pesticide inside the walls of your home where bugs live and breed.

Pestubes-In-The-Walleliminates 90% of the need to spray within in your home’s living area by equipping your new home with a fundamental barrier against pests. Pestubes-In-The-Wall is a reliable, modern approach to pest control that can help keep your family and home free of harsh pesticides.

The innovative Pestubes-In-The-Wallsystem, shown below, incorporates a network of precision perforated tubes built into your home’s framing, which are linked to a pesticide injection port located on the home’s exterior.

OK for my take, I have investigated numerous versions of this device both under concrete and in walls. The version under concrete which I have seen in action was more of a pvc pipe versus tubing (TermGuard) and I really liked the ability and adaptability of this product. The only issue is pricing and with the advent of repellent termiticides such as Termidor or Transport I just don’t see this catching on.The stuff in the walls I’m not sold on, I think the tubing kinks to often and this prevents the products from being delivered to the area in question. The other problem is the product used whether dust or liquid often blocks the tubing and now we have to address the propellent. This propellent needs to ensure that the product is pushed to where it is needed and unfortunately I just haven’t seen anything that really gets the product to the end source.

Gotta love those Arizona termites…..

Gotta love those Arizona termites…..

Look at those Subterranean termite tubes under that crawlspace, (Seth took these pictures) at some places over an inch in width. Our termites here in Arizona aren’t as aggressive as the Eastern subs on the East Coast but under a manufactured home – it’s very important to have yearly inspections. The damage to the wooden floor can be significant and potentially dangerous.

Call a Pest Management Professional for a termite inspection, today!

Contact Us