Bifen IT - Questions & Answers

Bifen is one of our number one products for spiders and mosquitoes. You can apply it indoors and out and after it has dried, rain will not wash it away. You want to re apply once every 30 days outdoors and every 2 months indoors.

Yes, Bifen IT can be applied to lawns for control of armyworms. You will apply 0.18-0.25 fl oz per 1,000 sq ft. Please refer to the product label for full mixing and application instructions for treating armyworms (Pages 14-15). 

Yes, Bifen IT is labeled for roaches and will kill them. This product is not recommended if you have an active infestation of roaches. If you see an occasional roach, this can be used indoors and outdoors for control. The mixing ratio is 1 fl oz per gallon of water.

Also, please check out our Roach Guide for tips on how to treat and prevent roaches.

Bifen IT is labeled for cracks, crevices and wall voids only indoors, meaning that you could not spray it over carpeted areas or on furniture, the places that fleas are most likely to develop. Ultracide would be a great choice for indoor flea control. Ultracide contains both an insecticide to kill the active biting adult fleas and an IGR to help control developing flea eggs, larva and pupa. For most effective control, vacuum before treating and everyday for the next two weeks, be sure to change the bag or empty the reservoir immediately after vacuuming. A second treatment should be applied after 14 days.

You can let your puppy or any pet or child back into the treated areas once all the surfaces that were sprayed are completely dry. Normally this can take around 2 hours and after dried will be completely safe. 

Bifen IT should be mixed and applied at one ounce per gallon of water per 1,000 sq ft. You will calibrate your hose end sprayer to disperse this amount.  You do not dilute the Bifen IT when putting it in the chamber on the hose end sprayer, you put the concentrate directly in the cannister and the tube automatically sucks up however much you have told it to on the dial and disperses it with each gallon that comes through the hose. The down side to using a hose end sprayer is it removes a lot of accuracy with your treatment and wont give you as thorough and even coverage as a hand pump or backpack sprayer would. Either sprayer you use, you will use 1 ounce per gallon of water. We carry a hose end sprayer and offer free shipping.

Bifen XTS does not really make it that much better than the normal Bifen IT, its just that one quart container can make much more than the equivalent Bifen IT.  The normal mixture rate of Bifen IT is one ounce per gallon of water.  When using Bifen XTS, you only need about a third of an ounce to make the same treatment.  So you can make many more gallons of solution from one container of Bifen XTS than you can with the normal Bifen IT.  As far as we know, there should be no concerns with oil based solutions on pool liners or other surfaces. 

Bifen IT should be mixed at 1 oz per gallon of water and sprayed 3 ft around a fire mound. You should also drench the mound by using sufficient force to break their apex and allow the insecticide solution to flow into the ant tunnels. For best results, apply in cool weather (65 - 80?F) or in early morning or late evening hours. The finished solution should also be broadcast over the lawn surface.

Fire Ant Control Article

Bifen IT typically only take 1 hour to completely dry on a surface and will hold up very well in the rain, but the longer time you can have between application and a rain event the better.  However, if a few hours is the best scenario then that is fine.  Hopefully, you are in a situation where at least up against the house you may have a slight overhang from the roof or gutters so the application on and directly next to the house will be somewhat protected.  Thank you for your kind comments about our products.  We appreciate your business!

Yes, Bifen IT is labeled to kill bagworms.  Please read the product label for specific application instructions.

Yes, Bifen IT will kill chiggers and will work great when applied to areas where chiggers harbor. You will need to apply at a rate of 1 oz. to 1 gallon of water and focus your application on the unkept areas of the lawn and lawn edge. 

Yes, Bifen It would be a great choice to treat flies. It dries clear and is odorless. You can apply the mixed solution to lawns, trees, shrubs, indoors. It has a long lasting residual. You may want to retreat during the fly season once every 30 days. Otherwise Bifen has a 3 month residual.

When using Bifen IT you can use the same dilution rate for both mosquitoes and whiteflies. Use 1 oz of Bifen IT  per gallon of water. For both mosquitoes and whiteflies you want to make sure you are spraying the undersides of the leaves on trees and bushes as that is where these pests like to harbor.

We would not recommend mixing Bifenthrin and Permethrin together. The Bifenthrin mixed with an IGR is effective as well as mixing Permethrin with an IGR, such as NyGuard. Nyguard does have a residual for 4-5 months. With fleas, keep in mind that multiple applications are needed for them to be eradicated. After the first application, a follow up treatment should be done every 14 days until the fleas are gone.

As long as you keep chickens out of the area while applying Bifen I/T and until it has time to completely dry it should be safe for your chickens to return to that area. It also will not harm the chickens if they eat an insect that has died from the Bifen I/T treatment.

The Bifen IT would be an excellent option for mosquito control. As you know, with that heavy of a wooded area around you, you wont be able to completely eliminate the entire population, but you can certainly bring it down to a tolerable level when you can enjoy your yard again. We highly recommend if you want the most control out of this heavily mosquito populated area, mix NyGuard IGR with your first spray of Bifen IT. The NyGuard is birth control for the bugs in the area and will make a huge dent in knocking back the activity. By stopping the mosquito reproduction, you get a much better grip on the problem than just killing the ones that land on a surface treated with an insecticide. You will typically mix 1 ounce of Bifen IT and 4-8 ml of NyGuard IGR per gallon of water. Focus on the areas that are most dense in foliage and tend to stay the most moist and shaded. Spray the undersides of leaves of bushes and trees as these are prime breeding areas for the mosquitoes. The Bifen will last roughly 30 days outdoors and the NyGuard should last up to 5 months. If you feel the NyGuard is needed again before the 5 month period you are welcome to spray it again with the Bifen. Please let us know if you have any other questions.

Bifen IT is a great product for both of those pests as well as many others.  Bifen IT is one of our most popular products and can be used both indoors and outside.  Just keep in mind that Bifen IT cannot be used on vegetable gardens or fruit bearing trees or anything you plan on eating. 

Bifen IT will kill honey bees if they come in contact with the treated area and/or are sprayed directly. It is recommended that you spray in the areas you are wanting to treat when the bees are not actively foraging. A better option would be to use Mavrik Perimeter. There is no lingering odor or visible residue, and when dry, it is non toxic and non repellent to honey bees.

Bifen IT is not a contact kill product, it is a residual product that can take a few day to start killing the fleas or other insects that you are treating for.  You need to give the product time to do what its designed for.  If the infestation of fleas is extensive then you may treat again after 7-14 days.  It is recommened to treat your dog, as well as treat the inside of your home.  Continue to clean, wash and vaccum daily till the infestation is under control. Please take a few moments to review our Flea Treatment Guide for more information.

Bifen IT is labeled for fire ant control and will help help eliminate fire ants when used as directed on the Bifen It product label: Fire Ant control is optimized by combining broadcast applications that will control foraging workers and newly mated fly-in queens with mound drenches that will control existing colonies. If the soil is not moist, then it is important to irrigate before application or use a high volume application. Apply broadcast treatments at 0.5 to 1 fluid oz. per 1,000 square feet. Use enough finished volume to penetrate thatch or sod. Treat mounds by applying 1 oz Bifen IT per mound in 1 to 2 gallons water by sprinkling the mound until it is wet and treat 3 feet out around the mound. Use the higher volume for mounds larger than 12”. Treat mounds with sufficient force to break their apex and allow the insecticide solution to flow into the ant tunnels. For best results, apply in cool weather (65 - 80˚F) or in early morning or late evening hours.