Bifen IT - Questions & Answers

Bifen IT is a good choice for bagworm control.  The product label recommends mixing at the rate of 1 oz per 1000 sq ft in approximately 1 gallon of water. Bifen XTS is an oil-based insecticide that is only for outdoor use, while Bifen IT is water-based and has a broader label.  However, it is important to start control methods before infestation occurs. Once the bagworms have matured and have formed the "bag" most chemical control methods will no longer work.

Once the bags have formed, you can manually control bagworms by simply plucking them off of the infested trees and dropping them into a bucket of soapy water or squishing them.  

 

The Bifen would definitely be a great option for most of the pest you are having a problem with. You can use the Bifen in a hand pump sprayer or with a hose end, although you will get more uniform and accurate coverage with a hand pump than you will a hose. You would typically mix 1 ounce to a gallon of water for all the insects in your yard and you can spray the bushes, yard, ornamentals and trees for mosquitoes, spider mites, wasps and regular ants. For fire ants you need to treat a little differently as they are more unique than other ants. The BEST way to control fire ants is with a professional grade bait like the Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait. It not only is a food source that they will forage for and bring back into the nest, but it also contains an IGR-birth control-to keep the queen from reproducing. This has been proven to have the most thorough results. If you don't want to use a bait you can use the bifen on the fire ants but you must follow the instructions on the label for drenching each mound with at least 3 gallons of water to get all the way to the bottom of the nest. You can see the specific instructions for this method on the Product Label.

Unfortunately you did not mention what pest you are trying to treat in your yard so we can not be very specific. The Bifen IT label does say that you can repeat applications as often as every 7 days outdoors but most customers do not repeat applications more than once a month for most pests. Again the usage rate of Bifen IT will vary greatly depending on what type of pest your are trying to control. The Bifen IT product label recommends 0.25-1.0 fl oz per 1,000 sq ft for most pests outdoors. You can find the usage rate tables starting on page 12 of the product label.

There are different sizes of Talstar P and Bifen I/T and prices can fluctuate based on fair market value at the time of purchase. If you compare the price of each product respectively to their sizes there is a substantial savings available. For example, a quart of Talstar P is priced at $36.50 right now but a quart of Bifen I/T is listed for $22.64 - That is a savings of $13.86 for the same size container! 

As long as Bifen IT was applied as directed on the label and watered in as required for chinch bugs (at least 0.25 inch of irrigation) after application, you can go ahead and water in the fertilizer.  It will not move much farther into the soil as it is designed to bind to the soil. If more water was used that would just have pushed it down into the soil better and will be fine.

An adjustable tip on your sprayer would be preferred when applying Bifen IT to interior cracks and crevices.

In most cases it is not necessary to use an insecticide for crane fly larvae control. If damage is severe we would recommend using 1 fl oz of Bifen IT per gallon of water to cover each 1,000 sq ft for the initial treatment and then .5 fl oz per gallon of water for follow up treatments.

It depends.  The whole key to getting rid of springtails is their breeding source.  You have to find it.  Usually they breed under the slab and enter the home through small cracks.  Unfortunately when they breed under the slab the product you apply on top of the ground will not make it to them.  The slab has to dry out and you have to do whatever you can to prevent moisture from getting under the slab.  Usually springtails are breeding because of too much mulch around the house, grade against the house is not going away from the house and water puddles up, downspouts are not going away from the house, etc.   Getting rid of springtails is a moisture management issue usually and not something that pesticides can get rid of alone.

It will depend on what you are applying it for. For instance, if you are trying to control insects that walk on the blades of grass or around the thatch layer, if you use too much water, you could push all of the product below the thatch and those insects may not be affected by the application. If you are targeting insects that are below the thatch such as chinch bugs, more water can help you get the water where you need it to be. Please refer to the Bifen IT product label for complete instructions on your target pest.

Bifen IT is not labeled for treating grubs. We do carry several products that are labeled for grubs including Adonis 2F, Merit Granules, Milky Spore and Dylox. Please take a few moments to review our treatment article on How to Get Rid of Grubs for a successful eradication program.