Insect Control on Complex Surfaces

Perimeter pest control is one of the industry’s most popular service offerings that has become even more popular during the COVID-19 pandemic as customers demand “exterior-only” and “no-contact” solutions to a wide array of pest problems around structures.

Unfortunately, perimeter pest control also poses some unique challenges which are not present on the interior of structures, most notably complex surfaces like mulch and gravel. 

These surfaces represent a significant challenge for PMPs. Why? If the proper formulation is not used on complex surfaces, insecticide performance may be compromised, resulting in callbacks, the bane of every pest control business.

This is particularly true in high-maintenance accounts where frequent application of insecticides increases the cost of labor and materials, making product efficacy even more essential. As a result, it’s important for technicians to understand the difference between porous and nonporous surfaces. Examples of porous surfaces include concrete, mulch and gravel. Nonporous surfaces include glass, ceramic tile and stainless steel.

Why should your technicians care? Numerous studies have shown emulsifiable concentrate (EC) formulations are absorbed into porous surfaces, making the active ingredient unavailable to crawling insect pests. Fortunately for cost-conscious PMPs, Bayer Environmental Science introduced Barricor SP during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing an affordable alternative to maintenance applications on complex surfaces. 

“While Bayer is known for our high-end, specialty innovations that tackle our customers’ toughest pest problems, we’re also proud to offer solutions to support the frequent service requirements of PMPs who just need to keep the usual-suspect pests at bay during regular services,” said Joe Barile, technical service lead for Bayer Pest Management & Public Health. “We’re especially proud of Barricor because it offers an alternative to economy sprays and enables us to deliver innovation to PMPs who might not have leveraged Bayer products in the past.” 

A VALUABLE TOOL. A former PMP himself, Barile said he “grew up” treating restaurants, hospitals, multi-family housing and other high-maintenance accounts on a monthly basis, frequently moving outdoors to perform perimeter treatments as a way to prevent pest entry into structures.

“With a broad label for both indoor and outdoor use and no signal word, Barricor is a workhorse product that is well suited for a variety of treatment situations,” Barile said. Nearly 10 years in development, Barricor features the proven active ingredient deltamethrin in an innovative “solid particle” (SP) formulation that delivers superior performance on gravel, mulch, concrete and more.

“The fundamental challenge when we go outdoors is the physical and chemical composition of the surfaces where we’re placing residual insecticides,” Barile said. “For instance, stucco is extremely alkaline and alkalinity is not good for insecticides. Mulch is also extremely porous and absorptive, but Barricor has been formulated to resist being absorbed by porous surfaces, so the active ingredient remains readily bioavailable.”

Customers and PMPs alike also appreciate the fact that Barricor features no signal word and doesn’t require personal protective equipment (PPE) to apply. “As customers see their service provider applying an insecticide without a face shield, long-sleeved shirt or gloves, it can give them peace of mind,” Barile said. And peace of mind goes a long way towards attracting and retaining customers, regardless of the account. 

“Our goal is to provide PMPs with a premium product at a value-oriented price point that allows them to address pest problems in high-maintenance accounts in a convenient, cost-effective fashion,” Barile said. “Barricor is the first new liquid formulation in quite some time, so we’re excited to see how it will be received by the marketplace.”

The high-performance, low-dose rate formulation product is available in a 32-ounce tip-and-pour package and, with a maintenance use rate of 0.25 ounce per 1,000 square feet, will service 128 homes, Bayer reports.

For more information about Barricor – SP, visit es.bayer.us/barricor or contact your Bayer sales representative.