Talstar PL Granular Insecticide - Questions & Answers

Diazinon was banned in the US in 2004 so many customer have looked for products that would do an equal job to Diazinon since it was taken off the market. Talstar in both its liquid and granular form are going to give comparable control but without the huge health hazards to humans and beneficial insects. Talstar has the least dermal toxicity of any product on the market for pyrethroids and is designed to have minimal effect on beneficial insects like earthworms. We link the name Diazinon to the product so those looking for a replacement have a great safe product to find.

Talstar PL granules are not labeled for cockroaches. We would recommend using Bifen IT. This product has the same active ingredient as Talstar PL, however the concentrate has more of the active ingredient in it and will combat the cockroaches effectively. It is a liquid and can be broadcast across your lawn. It can also be sprayed on trees (non-edibles), flowers, shrubs, etc. You will mix 1 fl. oz. per gallon of water. One gallon will treat 1000 sq. ft. The residual outdoors is up to 30 days. Bifen IT can also be used indoors as a crack and crevice spray along the baseboards in your home. The residual indoors is up to 90 days. Please let us know if you have any additional questions.

No, Talstar PL granules should not be used in a flower bed. It is labeled mainly for turf use.

We would recommend using Bifen IT for your ornamental plants. It can be sprayed directly on the plants and is labeled specifically for millipedes as well as various other pests as well. You will use 1 oz. of the solution per gallon of water.

We are not famliar with that type of spreader since we do not sell it.  We would reccommend calling Lesco or you can try calling FMC (manufacturer of Talstar Granules) at 1-800-321-1362.

Talstar PL Granules would be a great product for treating chinch bugs, sod webworms and adult mole crickets in your lawn. Please see the product label for complete application instructions. 

Yes, Talstar PL Granules are labeled for springtails. Please see the product label for complete application instructions.  

Talstar PL Granules can be used for scorpions following the instructions on the product label:  To ensure optimum control, treat the building perimeter at dusk to prevent outdoor scorpions from entering the building. Scorpions reside hidden in cracks and voids during the day and are active at night at temperatures above 77ºF/25ºC. Resting areas can be identified at night using a blacklight (UV bulb) as scorpions will fluoresce. These areas should also be treated. Prior to treatment, to increase treatment efficacy, remove trash, debris, or firewood that scorpions may use as resting sites

We also have a great guide here for Scorpion Control with non chemical recommendations.

Talstar PL Granlues will not have any effect on the rooting or health of your sod and may be applied either prior to or following the laying of sod. We would recommend that you read over the product label for complete use instructions for your target pest. 

You can use Talstar PL Granules and Fertilizer at the same time. There is no withdrawal period. They both need to be watered in to be activated and effective. Be sure to follow the product label for both Talstar PL Granules and the for other product that you are applying.

There are no toxic products labeled for frogs or toads (or reptiles for that matter), and given the highly beneficial nature of these amphibians there is not likely to be anything coming along.The reasons they are on your property are because they can find food and proper habitat, and these are probably your only means for making them go away. Take away their food and they will forage somewhere else. Take away the conditions they need for hiding all day and they will seek refuge someplace else.

Habitat modification may be the more effective way to limit frogs on your property. Frogs are mainly nocturnal, and they seek food at night when it is cooler and damper. During the day they look for cool, damp, dark places to hide. They will hide under dense shrubbery or ground covers, under logs or lumber on the soil, or under large landscape rocks and timbers to avoid the hot, dry sun. Trim shrubbery, remove thick ground-cover, stack lumber or firewood off of the soil a few inches and remove any other objects or debris that come in contact with the soil and can provide harborage. Limit watering to help eliminate moisture from your yard.  You can also reduce the amount of insects (the frogs food source) in your yard by treating the grass with a residual insecticide such as Talstar PL.

Talstar is very effective against mole crickets. Mix at 1oz per gallon water.

Talstar PL Granules would not be applied with water. You would apply Talstar PL and then water it in after.

Please contact FMC the manufacturer of Talstar PL 800-321-1362. Normally, if applied watered in and dried, Talstar PL will not harm pets.

Talstar PL Granules when applied as directed should not harm pets. There is only enough active ingredient to harm small insects. We would also recommend to contact FMC the manufacturer 1-800-321-1362 for further assistance.

Talstar PL granules can protect your lawn areas for 2 to 3 months so you can apply as often as that for general pest control

You are absolutely correct. By mixing the 2 products together you are costing yourself money because you are wasting the Niban completely. Using the 2 products together would be the equivalent of someone putting a steak in front of you to eat, but then covering it in bleach prior to you eating it, wouldn't be very inticing would it? Also, the Niban is a bait that although is designed to hold up to some outdoor elements better than other baits, you are still immediately lowering its attractivness as you have to water in the Talstar Granules to activate them. If there is an insect population around that would require a bait be taken back to the colony then the Niban should be used first, let it do its job, then once the population has been taken care of use the Talstar in a follow up treatment to help keep the insects away. 

Talstar PL granules will not help with a wooly adelgid infestation. We recommend using a product that works systemically and contains the active ingredient imidalcoprid such as Dominion 2L. When using Dominion 2L as a soil drench for Hemlock Woolly Adelgids you should use 0.2 fl. oz. (3 to 6 mL) of Dominion 2L per inch of trunk diameter (D.B.H.) diluted in 1 pint - 1 gallon of water per inch of trunk diameter.    The amount of water that is used will vary depending on soil conditions and volumes that are easy for applicators to use. The minimum amount of water that should be used is 1 pint per inch of trunk diameter but you may use 1 quart -1 gallon of water per inch of trunk diameter. Denser soils such as clay do not accept water as readily, so the lower volume of water is suggested.  Since sandy soils can accept more water, using the higher volume of water is preferred. After the soil drench has been applied you should water it in with at east 1/2 inch of water. Note: Water simply acts as a carrier and it is important that even distribution of the product is achieved. Thus, more water may be used if the applicator feels runoff will not occur and proper penetration of the root zone is achieved. Insecticides applied to the soil are taken up by the roots and trans-located throughout the tree or shrub. Root/soil drenches offer the advantage of requiring no special equipment to apply (other than a bucket or watering can). However, surface layers of organic matter, such as mulch or leaf litter, can bind the insecticide and reduce uptake. Before applying drenches, it is important to remove or pull back any mulch or dead leaves so the insecticide solution is poured directly on the mineral soil. It is also important to keep the soil around the tree or shrub moist for the next 7-10 days after applications to encourage uptake.

Most insecticides will not interrupt the growth of grass so anything that is labeled for flea control should be just fine to use. Most insecticides do have a disclaimer not to use on grass grown for seed (not to be mistaken as grass grown from seed). Talstar PL would be a great choice.

The Talstar PL Granules are not labeled specifically for the control over termites so outside of using the Talstar at its normal application rates per 1000 sq/ft and watering it in, we cannot advise on that specific use. Talstar P in the liquid form however is labeled for controlling Termites and you can use it at the 0.06% solution on the label to drench the soil with.