Bifen IT - Questions & Answers

Since different people can have varying reactions to the same chemical there is no way for us to be able to say for sure that any one person will not have a reaction to a specific insecticide. We can say that we have never had a report of any type of reaction to the Bifen IT when used as directed on the product label. Be sure the person with asthma is out of the area while the product is being applied and they can come back when the area is completely dry. You may also want to contact the asthmatic persons physician prior to the application just to be sure there will be no issues.

You can apply Bifen IT indoors so long as you make sure none of the spray winds up in the pond. The very small amount an insect may have on its body should have no effect at all on anything in the pond. If contaminating the pond is still a concern for you there is a product called Essentria IC3 that can be used around water without worry of hurting any of the aquatic animals you may have. Essentria IC3 is a broad-spectrum natural insecticide that works just as well as the synthetic insecticides but without the aquatic toxicity issue.

We recommend using the bait products first and then following up with the Bifen IT. If you spray the Bifen IT in the same place as you use the baits you will make the baits less appealing to the ants and you risk the bait not getting back to the colony because the ants could die too quickly.

You didn't mention what type of garden you have. Is it a flower garden or a vegetable garden? If it is a flower garden Bifen IT should work very well to help eliminate the blister beetles. Bifen IT is not labeled for use on edible plants. If it is a vegetable garden you will need to use a product that is labeled for use on edible vegetation such as Sevin or Natural Guard Insecticidal Soap. Be sure you read the product label of the product you choose before purchasing to make sure the plants you need to treat are listed. Product labels are on individual product pages under the picture of the product. You should also note that we didn't find any products that were specifically labeled for blister beetles so we recommended products that eliminate general garden pests. When pests are not specifically listed on product labels it is usually because these pests do not damage enough crops as to be agriculturally significant.

Bifen IT can be sprayed onto and into the shakes to provide some relief from the silverfish. Be sure to use the highest usage rate of 1 oz of Bifen IT per gallon of water for the fastest knockdown and the longest lasting residual. You will need to reapply once a month to keep up the barrier.

Bifen IT is an insecticide and does not have anything in its formulation that would keep mammals out of a garden. We do carry several repellents that would better suit your needs. You can checkout our animal repellents here : Animal Repellents

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.

You must keep Bifen IT applications outside of the root zone of the vegetable plant according to the Bifen IT product label. Spraying within a foot of edible vegetation is usually too close.

Bifen IT is labeled for gnats. Gnats must land on treated areas to be killed by the product. Please read the BIfen IT product label for complete usage instructions.

We do not recommend outside of the product label. The manufacturer states to use no more than 1 oz per 1 gallon of water. This product is a residual based product. The residual outdoors is 30 days indoors 90 days. Even if you were to use 4oz, you would still need to reapply per the product label of 30 to 90 days.

We do not recommend using Bifen It in or on fruit bearing trees. Please contact Control Solutions to see if they can help you trouble shoot this. You can reach this manufacturer at 281-892-2500.

Bifen IT is labeled for fire ant control and will help help eliminate fire ants when used as directed on the Bifen It product label: fire ant control is optimized by combining broadcast applications that will control foraging workers and newly mated fly-in queens with mound drenches that will control existing colonies. If the soil is not moist, then it is important to irrigate before application or use a high volume application. Apply broadcast treatments at 0.5 to 1 fluid oz. per 1,000 square feet. Use enough finished volume to penetrate thatch or sod. Treat mounds by applying 1 oz Bifen IT per mound in 1 to 2 gallons water by sprinkling the mound until it is wet and treat 3 feet out around the mound. Use the higher volume for mounds larger than 12”. Treat mounds with sufficient force to break their apex and allow the insecticide solution to flow into the ant tunnels. For best results, apply in cool weather (65 - 80˚F) or in early morning or late evening hours.

Since the Bifen will be used topically for general pest control it should not interfere with a trenching treatment done using Termidor SC.

Bifen IT will kill termites that come in contact with the chemical. To eradicate termites you want to use a product that has a transfer effect. Termidor SC is a great product to use to treat termites. Please see our Termite Control Page. Scroll to the bottom of the page and find information on identification and treatment for termites.

Our most popular general use product is called Bifen IT.  It is widely used by pest control companies because it is labeled for almost every insect you could have a problem with and you can use it outside the home as well as inside, it is odorless and very safe for use around children and pets.  It is a liquid concentrate that you mix with water in a one gallon hand pump sprayer.  It will last for 60 to 90 days outside in between treatments.  It is also labeled for lawn and ornamental use, and can be used on trees, plants, bushes and shrubs for all sorts of ornamental pests including Japanese beetles, mosquitoes, and other leaf eating pests. We recommend treating once a month in the waremst months of the year and then every 90 days when it is cold and pests are less active. Be sure to stay at least 15 ft away from the pond and do not spray on windy or rainy days to avoid having the product drift in to the pond.

Bifen IT is highly toxic to bees. You can reduce the risk to your bees by keeping applications away from areas where the bees are actively foraging and at times when the bees are not active in general. You may also consider using Mavrik Perimeter insecticide for outdoor pests, which is non-repellent and non-toxic to honeybees after it is dried. You will want to read the product label to see if this fits your needs.

Most of the synthetic pyrethroid insecticides on our site would do a great job for earwig control. Bifen IT would be a great choice for earwigs. You can spray both indoors and outdoors with this product. Bifen IT, one of our best sellers, has a long residual, is odorless, dries clear, leaves no stains, is non-irritating to the skin, and wont break down easily with rainfall.

Per the product label, the soil around a well can be treated with Bifen IT. You can treat up to three feet away from the well.

With Bifen IT, the label states that when you are treating for yellow jackets, spray the nest opening in the ground, bushes, and in cracks and crevices where the insects may nest. Saturate the openings and contact as many insects as possible. Please let us know if you have any additional questions.

Bifen IT is labeled for millipedes and will kill them when used according to the Bifen IT product label. We recommend using 1 fl oz of Bifen IT per gallon of water for the fastest knockdown and the longest lasting residual. Millipedes are usually going to frequent areas where there are high levels of moisture. There are some non-chemical things you can do to help make your property less favorable to millipedes:

Step 1) Non chemical Methods of Millipede Control

Exclusion:

• Repair cracks, crevices, and gaps around windows, doors, pipes and wires with sealant or caulk
• Makes sure the screens and door sweeps on windows and doors are tight-fitting

Eliminate Favorable Conditions:

• Fix leaky faucets or pipes and dry up wet or damp areas where millipedes thrive
• Remove outdoor harborages near the home that hold moisture (compost, wood, or leaf piles, etc).
• Store firewood off the ground at least 20 feet away from the home
• Water your lawn in the morning so that it will be dry by afternoon
• Do not over mulch flower beds, since soggy mulch is an ideal harborage for millipedes

Indoors, Bifen IT is only labeled to be used as a crack and crevice to baseboards, corners, storage areas, closets, around water pipes, doors and windows, behind and under refrigerators, cabinets, sinks, furnaces, stoves, the underside of shelves, drawers and similar areas. Bifen IT is great for outdoor control of Noseeums.

Along with vacuuming the carpeted areas daily, using a product called Microcare will provide you with a fast knockdown and kill flying insects which will give you immediate relief.

You can read our article on how to treat Noseeums here.