[BobandMarilyn]

We are due to renew our contract for home pest control (separate from termite contract). For $82 per treatment,four times a year, they walk around the house once with a hand spreader with granules, and once with a sprayer treating the eaves. There are a number of products available online which apear to be comparable to the contractor's treatment. These products will cost about $50 per year rather than $300. I have the spreader and the sprayer.

Does anyone do their own pest control program?

[billybye]

I have always done my own pest control without problems. Have lived in FL for over 30 years (1 year in Villages). I also sold chemicals to some companies that treat houses - so I know they do not use anything more powerful than what you can buy in Home Depot or Lowe's - and you know you didn't water it down to save money.

I fertilize my lawn 3 times a year and pest spray inside and out around the same time, so I do not forget. The pesticide says once a year, but I do three.

The salespeople for the pest control companies here in TV are very good, and make good comissions scaring everyone from doing it themselves. You can put their comissions in your own pocket and feel safe about what treatment was actually done.

[TommyT]

I use a product called Bifen ever 90 days in the yard and around the house. I have no bugs either in my lawn or the house. Great stfff.

[l2ridehd]

I use Talstar Pro every 3 months. Get it from doityourselfpestcontrol.com Works great, no bugs. Expensive stuff, but one bottle lasts a long time because 2 oz makes 2 gallons of spray which does about 10 treatments. I do all three homes and never had a bug problem. Also get one of those long handle round brushes and do cob webs along eves at the same time.

[DDoug]

Bifeintherin is the best just don't walk on it with bare feet till dry and wear a mask and don't spray it on vegys. You really do only need to use it once a year.

[Carla B]

Will the above products, Talstar and Bifeintherin, also take care of spider mites? We found them eating the leaves of the lorapetulums and pittosporums. From what we read on the internet, they are very hard to get rid of.

What about the mole crickets, will these work on them also?

We're new to do-it-yourself pest control and not doing a very good job, I'm afraid.

[aljetmet]

Originally Posted by l2ridehd

I use Talstar Pro every 3 months. Get it from doityourselfpestcontrol.com Works great, no bugs. Expensive stuff, but one bottle lasts a long time because 2 oz makes 2 gallons of spray which does about 10 treatments. I do all three homes and never had a bug problem. Also get one of those long handle round brushes and do cob webs along eves at the same time.

I use doityourselfpestcontrol.com as well. Don't remember what I use but it's basically the same stuff our pest control guy used. (years ago)
Works great. We find dead bugs occasionally especially flies on the window sills.
Since I'm still at work I can't check it out until I get home....

[JohnN]

I do my own, I don't see any bugs so it must work. You're right, about $50 a year max. no big deal at all.