Pest News   |   September 9, 2019

It's a Small World... but a complex one

Pest Management Professionals (PMPs) understand that our target pests typically live in a ‘small world’. Most prefer to harbor in micro environments hidden from predators and with comfortable levels of humidity, temperature and space. PMPs are trained to focus their pesticide applications directly into these harborages and/or where pests may encounter the pesticide on their journey into or out of these sites.

As fall approaches, PMPs will start to concentrate on a variety of seasonal invaders that challenge their perimeter pest management programs. Pests like stink bugs, cluster flies, and boxelder bugs are already beginning to respond to seasonal changes in day length and to seek overwintering sites in your customers’ structures. But there is a significant challenge to managing these occasional invaders with insecticides. That challenge is the physical and chemical interactions that treated surfaces present to insecticide performance.

Surfaces like concrete, mulch, and gravel can reduce the bioavailability of active ingredients on these complex and challenging surfaces. Bioavailability of pesticide to insects is essential to achieving control.  Not understanding this ‘small world’ can cost PMPs in callbacks.

Looking at treatment surfaces under very high magnification reveals the complexity that insecticides have to survive to deliver enough active ingredient to the target. Surfaces like concrete, brick, and stucco are typically porous, drawing the water-based sprays deep into micro fissures where insects may not contact the residual insecticide. Wood-sourced mulches also present the detrimental physical environment and a highly absorptive surface, but also maintain a rich organic micro environment where bacteria and fungi contribute to insecticide breakdown. Many real-world surfaces will also expose products to chemical degradation. Concrete and stucco typically have a high alkaline content that can degrade active ingredients. It’s a tough world out there for insecticides.

Throughout my career I have watched manufacturers, like Bayer, invest in developing new formulation science to meet the multiple performance, hazard reduction and cost management challenges for the Professional Pest Management industry.

This year, Bayer introduced Barricor SP. Barricor is a totally new formulation type — a Solid Particle suspension concentrate. Barricor utilizes a naturally sourced carrier that, when combined with its active ingredient deltamethrin, provides effective bioavailability on these challenging and complex surfaces. This new formulation is designed to provide effective control for frequent service programs at an economical dilution rate of 0.25 ounces per one gallon of water.

Barricor SP offers PMPs broad labeling with outdoor and indoor directions..  In addition to being great on complex surfaces, it is also labeled for commercial food handling sites, has no signal word, and requires no personal protection equipment*.

Barricor offers PMPs an effective alternative to bifenthrin-containing products that are popular for monthly and Every-Other-Month (EOM) service programs. If you would like to step up to a more modern formulation for your perimeter pest program, or just have questions about Barricor SP, please contact your local Target representative or visit es.bayer.us/barricor.

*Always comply with state and company policy regarding PPE.

ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL INSTRUCTIONS.  Bayer, the Bayer Cross and Barricor are trademarks of Bayer.