Talstar P Professional Insecticide - Questions & Answers

We do not recommend using Talstar P for powderpost beetles. The label does allow for this application in voids and galleries of damaged wood, but this would be a difficult applciation. Our most popular treatment for this pest is using Boracare on raw wood that is infested. If you need to treat finished wood such as wooden floors, then you would either need to strip the wood to treat it, or spot treat the individual holes using Jecta, which is a ready-to-use formulation of Boracare. We have more tips in our Treatment Guide for this pest here.

Talstar P Professional Insecticide is a great safe product for general pest control both in and around the home. It dries clear, has no odor, is non-staining and non-irritating and can be used on lawns, bushes, ornamentals, trees and around the foundation of the home, as well as entry points like windows and doors. It will control over 100 different insects, including mosquitoes, flies, and spiders. It will typically last 30-90 days outdoors and at least 90 indoors along baseboards and cracks and crevices. Its safe for children and pets once dry and is very cost effective. 

Yes, although Talstar P Professional Insecticide will kill fleas, you still need to incorporate an IGR like Tekko Pro to break down the reproductive cycle. You can apply both at the same time.

Yes, Talstar P is effective for treating clover mites. You will need to mix one ounce to one gallon of water per 1,000 sq ft.

Be sure to apply Talstar P Professional Insecticide on a day with little wind present to avoid drift to unwanted locations/unlisted areas (including on the applicator). We do offer a Basic Safety Kit for protective gear.

When using Talstar P Professional Insecticide for ant control, mix 1 fl oz per gallon of water, locate and treat ant nests, and trails around doors and windows and other places where ants have been observed or are expected to forage. Spray the exterior perimeter foundation 2 to 3 ft up and 2 to 3 ft out from the foundation. For ant control in the lawn, mix at the same 1 fl oz per gallon of water per 1,000 sq ft.

For treating Fire Ants, the best control is obtained by a broadcast application along with mound drenches. Apply broadcast treatments at 0.6 to 1 fluid oz. per 1,000 square feet. Treat mounds by applying 1 fl oz Talstar P Professional 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 the early morning or late evening hours.

Please review the Application Directions Ant Control on page 4 of the product label. 

Yes, you can apply Talstar P as a broadcast spray if you need to treat for turf pests or surface pests such as ants, webworms, chinch bugs, etc. You can use up to 1 oz per 1000 sq ft.

Talstar P Professional Insecticide should not be applied to any edible vegetation.  And edibles that have been sprayed should be discarded and not consumed.

Talstar P Professional Insecticide will treat for ground beetles. Be sure to apply to cracks, crevices and entry points. 

Talstar P, like most other insecticides on the market is non-selective and will kill most insects that come into contact with it. We do have a couple of products that may better fit your needs:

https://www.domyown.com/organocide-3in1-garden-spray-concentrate-p-8933.html

https://www.domyown.com/mavrik-perimeter-p-429.html

 

Talstar P Professional Insecticide  does have a 3-5 year shelf life if stored in a cool, dry place. If the appearance is good and there is no clumping etc., it should be fine to apply.

Yes, Talstar P Professional Insecticide will kill cicada killers. We also recommennd to dust in their holes with Delta Dust. 

Talstar P Professional Insecticide is toxic to aquatic life. We recommend EcoVia around bodies of water. 

Talstar can be applied with a pump sprayer or mist blower only.  

We would not recommend treating the inside of the home with Talstar P for flea control. When used indoors, it is only labeled for a crack and crevice application. We recommend that you treat with the products in our Indoor Flea Kit. Also, please take a few moments to read our guide on How To Get Rid of Fleas for more helpful information. 

Yes, Talstar P Professional Insecticide can be used on ornamental plants and is known for being super gentle.

Talstar P will kill any flies that come into contact with a treated surface.  You may want to take a look at our Fly Control Guide for more information on treating and preventing this pest.  

 

Talstar P should be used at the highest concentration of 1 oz of Talstar per gallon of water for bedbug treatments. According to the product label: "Thorough application should be made to crack and crevices where evidence of bed bugs occurs. This includes bed frames, box springs, inside empty dressers and clothes closets and carpet edges, high and low wall moldings and wallpaper edges. Do not use this product on bed linens, pillows, mattresses or clothes. Remove all clothes and other articles from dressers or clothes closets before application. Allow all treated areas to thoroughly dry before use. Not recommended for use as sole protection against bedbugs. If evidence of bedbugs is found in/on mattresses, use products approved for this use." As you can see the Talstar P  manufacturers do not recommend that you use Talstar P by itself to get rid of bedbugs. The other products that you will need to use in combination with the Talstar P to effectively treat for bedbugs are all included in our Bedbug Kits.   Please take a few moments to review our article,' How to Get Rid of Bedbugs' (that also includes videos) for more information on treating bedbugs.

Talstar P will kill stinkbugs. You should dilute one ounce of Talstar P per gallon of water. You will use a hand pump sprayer to apply the solution on all door frames, window frames, areas where utilities (cables, pipes, wires) enter into the structure, a band of soil 6 to 10 feet adjacent to the structure, also to a height of 2 to 3 feet on the foundation where pests may be active or may find entrance. As the stink bugs crawl over the treated area, they will receive a lethal dose of the insecticide and usually die within a few hours. You should treat every month starting in August and ending in November for the best results.

Talstar is labeled for mole crickets. Here is what the manufacturer says:
Mole Cricket adults: Achieving acceptable control of adult mole crickets is difficult because preferred grass areas are subject to continuous invasion during the early spring by this extremely active stage. Applications should be made as late in the day as possible and should be watered in with up to 0.5 inches of water immediately after treatment. If the soil is not moist, then it is important to irrigate before application to bring the mole crickets closer to the soil surface where contact with the insecticide will be maximized. Grass areas that receive pressure from adult mole crickets should be treated at peak egg hatch to ensure optimum control of subsequent nymph populations (see below). 

Mole Cricket nymphs: Grass areas that received intense adult mole cricket
pressure in the spring should be treated immediately prior to peak egg hatch. Optimal control is achieved at this time because young nymphs are more susceptible to insecticides and they are located near the soil surface where the insecticide is most concentrated. Control of larger, more damaging, nymphs later in the year may require both higher application rates and more frequent applications to maintain acceptable control. Applications should be made as late in the day as possible and should be watered in with up to 0.5 inches of water immediately after treatment. If the soil is not moist, then it is important to irrigate before application to bring the mole crickets closer to the soil surface where contact with the insecticide will be maximized.