PMPs are crushing difficult cockroach and ant infestations using Advion MicroFlow in their IPM programs to target hard-to-reach harborages.
Published September 26, 2023
A century-old building has plenty of nooks and crannies in which German cockroaches can harbor. Convert that structure into restaurants and a soda shop and you’ve got an ideal environment for cockroach infestations to thrive.
This was the case at a downtown building in Wichita, Kansas, where various pest control companies struggled for decades to manage the pests.
That changed when Patton Termite & Pest Control treated interior cracks, crevices and voids with Advion® MicroFlow insect bait, a fine-particle, dry flowable bait that is applied similarly to dust insecticides.
“For us, it’s been a game changer,” says owner Gerry Marsh. “We’ve had really good success getting German cockroaches knocked down in that particular account due to that product.”
As part of an integrated pest management (IPM) program, Advion MicroFlow complements the use of gel baits, granular baits, residual sprays, glue board traps and other methods of control.
It offers a novel way to target established, bait-averse and resistant cockroach populations.
In another instance, Superior Pest Control in Grand Rapids, Michigan, found its use key to eradicating a major German cockroach infestation in a six-story, 108-unit housing complex.
“We were seeing an increased level of resistance with roaches when it came to gel baits and granular baits, so we were looking for an alternative,” says owner Jaime Pilbeam.
Over three weeks, his technicians applied Advion MicroFlow to voids like pipe chases under sinks and behind kitchen cabinets in every unit, as well as in common trash areas.
As part of an IPM program, Advion MicroFlow complements the use of gel baits, granular baits, residual sprays, glue board traps and other methods of control.
With gel baits, “you can only get it as far back as you can get the applicator,” explains Pilbeam. “But with the dry flowable, you blow it into those hard-to-reach areas that you can’t get access to. This also keeps the roaches back in the recesses, feeding on the bait, so you have fewer roach sightings.”
Since the application of Advion MicroFlow, cockroach activity at the complex and complaints to management have dropped significantly. “We have seen a great deal of improvement there,” says Pilbeam, whose technicians now have time to focus on preventative pest measures at the building.
McCall Services in Jacksonville, Florida, likewise, uses the dry flowable bait as an IPM tool for cockroach cleanouts in apartment buildings.
“We were having a lot of issues with infestations in adjoining walls,” explains Cory Goeltzenleuchter, area technical director in Florida. “But when we started making some of these applications into wall voids in between units, it helped us get control quicker. We’ve seen really good mortality utilizing it in our heavier infestations.”
McCall Services always tries to use reduced-risk* products and approaches for cockroach control. Technicians use compressed air to flush out cockroaches and vacuums to remove the pests, but first they apply dry flowable bait to the wall voids just in case the cockroaches retreat further into those harborages. Gel bait is applied at a follow-up visit to units.
The dry flowable bait can even save technicians time, since stoves, refrigerators and other equipment don’t have to be pulled away from walls prior to application.
“Advion MicroFlow allows you to apply into and under those areas,” says Dr. Tim Husen, technical services manager for Professional Pest Management at Syngenta. “This provides time-efficient baiting in multi-family and commercial accounts, and even in single-family homes.”
An OHA Antidote. In addition to German cockroaches, Advion MicroFlow controls ants. Most notably, odorous house ants (OHAs), which are the bane of many pest management professionals (PMPs).
“They’re a nightmare,” says Wally Melendez, owner of A&R Pest Solutions in Vancouver, Washington. OHAs can have huge colonies and split into multiple nests when disturbed.
To control these pests, Melendez typically uses a combination of Advion Ant gel bait, Advion Insect granular bait and Advion MicroFlow, the latter of which he applies to cracks, crevices, entry points, electrical outlets and baseboards — places where he cannot use other products.
“It’s my go-to for ants. It’s very effective for me,” says Melendez.
Husen suggests applying Advion MicroFlow during Q1 or Q4 service visits to prevent OHA intrusions. Using a small paint brush to brush the product into cracks and gaps around door jambs and windowsills where this ants species is known to enter will help provide even greater control, he says.
How it Works. The dry flowable bait kills insect pests in three ways. First, the insects eat the bait while foraging in the treated area. The well-balanced bait matrix contains food-grade attractants and remains palatable and active for up to two years1. It even stays viable in humid environments.
Second, individual bait particles stick to the insect’s cuticle. A lethal dose of the active ingredient indoxacarb can be absorbed this way. Additionally, the insects unwittingly carry bait particles back to their colony or harborage, where nestmates groom the bait off their bodies and consume it.
Third, indoxacarb is transferred to insects like cockroach nymphs when they feed on the feces, vomit and corpses of adult cockroaches affected by the bait.
Indoxacarb insecticides contain the MetaActive™ effect, which means the active ingredient does not become active until it is consumed or absorbed by the target insect and that insect’s specific metabolic enzymes unlock its power. “It never generates an insecticide response until the insect breaks it down,” explains Husen.
Because it is bioactivated and leaves non-target organisms largely unaffected, indoxacarb is considered a reduced-risk pesticide* by the Environmental Protection Agency. This makes it an ideal tool for IPM programs.
Practice Makes Perfect. PMPs apply Advion MicroFlow using a duster. The product’s 8-ounce jar has a built-in scoop sized to the openings of popular bulb and bellows dusters. For added technician convenience, the jar also threads directly onto the Exacticide power duster.
“The biggest learning curve is that you’re not applying [Advion MicroFlow] like you do a dust insecticide, so you don’t need nearly as much of it,” says Marsh.
Husen urges PMPs to get familiar with how to apply the dry flowable bait and at different rates. “Calibrate yourself and your equipment,” he advises. He also suggests dedicating a specific duster for this product to prevent any cross-contamination from repellent dusts.
Advion has been a trusted brand in pest management for 18 years, but Syngenta is not resting on its laurels. It is committed to developing innovative formulations like Advion MicroFlow, launched in 2022, so PMPs can continue to provide their customers with a life uninterrupted by pests.
“I think that’s really critical to keeping our industry growing and evolving,” says Marsh.
All photos are either the property of Syngenta or are used with permission.
*A reduced-risk pesticide use is defined as one which “may reasonably be expected to accomplish one or more of the following: (1) reduces pesticide risks to human health; (2) reduces pesticide risks to non-target organisms; (3) reduces the potential for contamination of valued, environmental resources, or (4) broadens adoption of IPM or makes it more effective. Advion brand insecticides qualify under one or more of the above criteria.
