Bifen insecticide for LFA

[kimo wires]

Anyone use this Bifen for LFA's?
A neighbor said that it works great.
Oil based liquid, that you can spray into trees, with residual potency after getting wet.

[Kenney]

If you have pets or eat fruit from your trees, Tango is better. It sterilizes the LFA and isn't toxic to bees and pets as is Bifen. Since we've been using it on the ground no ants have dropped out of the trees. We almost "nuked" our lot with Bifen, but reconsidered.

[macuu222]

We used it but in combination with Amdro pellets. First scatter the amdro pellets where there are red ants (best in the early morning or just before sunset on a dry day). Then wait 48 hours. They will take the pellets back to the hive and it will kill the queen and many of the workers. Then spray with Bifen to kill whatever is left. The combination works great and lasts a long time but eventually they will come back so its an ongoing process.

[Justin]

Personally I use Bifen as a barrier treatment, sprayed around the perimeter of house and garage, on the inside of window sills, etc. I don't use it in the garden - better stuff to use out there.

[kimo wires]

Good info thanks all.

[Clayjacks]

FYI, bifenthrin is rediculously toxic to bees. Also spiders, which please remember, are our friends.

[MarkD]

Anyone know if Tango, which is supposed to be very effective, is available in smaller doses and purchasable in something close to ready to use?

The initial info I read on Tango some time ago was that it had a rather complex mixing process involving several mixers and that the minimum batch for purchase was over $150.

I read that typically, several people in a neighborhood would go in on it, make a batch, and then everyone would take a share. Thx!

[kimo wires]

Yeah, I will be using it carefully. Read thru the pamphlet. It's toxic alright. I hate using poison, at all, but I think I hate Fire Ants more.

[Midnight Rambler]

A bottle of Tango is about $60 and IIRC makes enough for at least three acres worth of ant bait. It's for making up the gel bait for spraying into trees, which are otherwise very hard to get LFA out of. If you're targeting ants on the ground, Siesta is a relatively low-toxicity alternative to Amdro - same type of granular bait but different active ingredient. It works just as well in my experience, though both have trouble when it's wet. Bifenthrin is so poisonous you don't really want to use it except as a barrier treatment around your house after you've gotten rid of the ants inside.

[Kenney]

The FA Lab told me not to eat any fruit on the land for a YEAR after using Bifen. That's why we decided to. go with Tango.