Suspend SC Insecticide - Questions & Answers

You will mix 1 fl oz of Suspend and 1 fl oz of Gentrol together in 1 gallon of water for bedbug applications. Suspend and Gentrol are both concentrates.

Suspend SC like many other products will kill termites if the product comes in direct contact with the termites.  However, it will only kill the termites that do contact it, not the termites or the queen that might be below the ground or deeper in the wood.  For this reason, a product called Termidor SC is considered to the best termite product available and is the most popular product used by professional companies today. Termidor SC will kill all of the termites in the colony, not just the ones that it touches.  You still need to have the product contact a few of the termites by drilling holes into the wood and treating them directly, or by treating the soil around the structure as explained in our "How To Do A Termite Treatment" article.

The outdoor residual effects of Suspend SC, Bifen IT, and Talstar P are all 30 days outdoors. However, if you would like a longer outdoor residual then Suspend Polyzone would be ideal for your mosquito control needs. Suspend Polyzone has a 90 day residual outdoors utilizing the same active ingredient as the regular Suspend SC but the added polymer allows the insecticide to adhere to surfaces better and resist the elements of weather.

Both the Suspend SC and the Talstar P contain synthetic pyrethroids for active ingredients and will provide very similar results. The only advantage to using Talstar P over Suspend SC is that it is known to be super gentle on most plants (do not use on edible vegetation) and is virtually odorless while Suspend Sc does have a slight odor. Both products can be used indoors and outdoors and both products are safe to use in houses with children and pets.

Spraying Suspend or any liquid in electrical wiring of any sort is not recommended. This would be an extreme shock hazard and damage your equipment and wiring. We recommend applying dust in those areas. Depending on what you are treating for you could use a dust like Delta Dust.

Suspend SC is not labeled to be sprayed on any type of edible vegetation and we do not recommend doing so. We do carry products that are labeled for Japanese beetles and can be sprayed on your tomato plants and fruit trees such as Fertilome Liquid Carbaryl Spray and Hi-Yield Indoor/Outdoor 10% Permethrin Insecticide. 

Yes, Suspend SC can be applied into a hose end sprayer. Please refer to the product label for full instructions on application indoors and out as well as for the mixing instructions for the pest you are treating.

If Suspend SC is sprayed on any edible vegetation it should be discarded regardless of what stage of growth the plant is in.

The winged flying ants will usually die in short order on their own because they are not able to fly off and secure a new nesting area for themselves. If you want to speed along the process you can use Microcare, a pyrethrin based aerosol. You should note that winged ants indoors most likely indicates an ant infestation somewhere in the home or under the home. You should carefully inspect the bathroom and try to find where the ants are emerging. You may even try to get a trail to start by placing a notecard with a dab of peanut butter and a dab of honey. Do NOT disturb the ant trail. By getting the ants to start a trail you will be able to figure out where the ants are entering into the bathroom and you will be able to directly treat the area with a product like Phantom or with ant baits. Please take a few minutes to read our article Getting rid of ants to learn more.

No. Suspend SC can only be applied using a hand pump sprayer. We do not currently carry any insecticides that can be added to paint.

Suspend SC would be a good choice to use around the inside and outside of your home to eliminate centipedes. Suspend SC is safe for people and pets when used as directed on the product label.  Indoors you can apply Suspend SC to door frames, window frames, places where utilities enter into the structure, and any other place where the insects can gain entry. Outdoors you should apply the product to door frames, window frames, places where utilities enter into the structure, around the bottom of the foundation and out onto the ground directly around the foundation. You can also limit favorable conditions that the centipedes need to thrive. 

Remove Favorable Conditions

• Fix leaky faucets or pipes and dry up wet or damp areas where centipedes 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 centipedes

Suspend SC cannot be applied to anything edible.  If you would like to tell us what kind of pest you need to treat for, we will be happy to recommend a different product. 

Suspend SC is not labeled for any type of mange mites and may not give you with the results you are looking for, nor is is labeled for use on furniture where people would sit.  In fact, for the few mites Suspend SC is labeled for the product label makes a point to tell you that it is for suppression only.  In almost all mange infestations, you should treat the infected animal with products given to you by your veterinarian.  All of the animals bedding should be washed with Borax (read the product label and be sure it is labeled for use on laundry) and dried or discarded all together to avoid re-infestation.  If the animal has been sleeping or resting on your couch or other furniture, you should thoroughly vacuum and perhaps even steam clean the furniture.  Some people find relief by using diatomaceous earth under and around furniture, under furniture cushions and in the tucks, seams, folds, cracks and crevices of the furniture.

Suspend SC is safe for pets and people once dry, you are correct. Flea infestations are never an overnight fix. Though each flea infestation is different - they all will require at least two treatments to start to see true results. You will want to do a follow-up treatment two weeks after your first treatment. If your infestation is more severe, you may even have to do a third treatment two weeks after that. Be persistant and patient. Vacuum frequently and always empty your vacuum each time outside of your home. For more tips please read and watch the How To Get Rid Of Fleas In Your House video on the bottom of this page.

You should only spray when it is not raining. In order for the product to work properly the product needs to have time to dry on the sprayed surface. If it is sprayed onto a wet surface it cannot adhere and may simply be washed away.

Suspend SC will kill odorous house ants that come into direct contact with treated areas. Suspend SC will not spread from ant to ant or go back to the nest to eradicate the colony which means you could have a constant influx of ants unless you find the nest and treat it directly or use a product that will be carrier back to the nest. Phantom Aerosol would be a good choice for ant control indoors. Phantom is a non-repellent insecticide that has a delayed reaction which allows ants time to get back to the colony and spread the product. In essence, the ants will not be able to tell that the product is in place and they will pick it up on the fine hairs all over their body and inadvertently carry it back to the colony where over a course of a few days it will knock out the entire colony. Phantom works really well because you don't have to worry about whether the ants will all take the bait, they just need to walk over the treated areas. Phantom should be applied around baseboards, door frames, window frames and places where utilities (cables, pipes and wires) enter through the wall as these are the most likely places for the ants to enter/exit.

Since both products contain synthetic pyrethroids there is no valid reason to mix Suspend SC and Tempo together, it would not make either product work better or produce better results, though it could make treated areas repellent to insects lessening the effectiveness of the treatment.

Suspend SC is labeled for ants. Gentrol IGR is not labeled for ants. Getting rid of ants can be tough because of their opportunistic nature. Most species are able to nest indoors and outdoors in a wide variety of places and they can survive on a wide variety of food sources. To effectively get rid of ants you usually need to include proper indoor and outdoor sanitation as well as an actual pesticide treatment which includes a mixture of baiting and spraying.

We would recommend using our Outdoor/Indoor Ant Kit. It comes with everything you will need to do a complete ant treatment.

Please check out our Ant Guide for information on how to treat and prevent ants as well.

Suspend SC can be used to help deter mud (dirt) daubers from nesting on treated surfaces when used as directed on the product label.  It will also help to kill any that land on a treated surface long enough to receive a lethal dose.

The best way to dispose of leftover mixed Suspend SC is to pour along the foundation of the home outside.