When using a product like Taurus SC, so long as you trench the outside wall of the foundation and the piers in the crawl space, you do not have to trench the inside wall of the foundation.
Taurus SC Termiticide is not labeled for fire ants and it is not labeled to be used as a broadcast application, so we are unable to provide this information. We would recommend using Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait. A broadcast treatment across the entire area would be best so that the fire ants do not just move their mounds to other areas. If you do an individual mound treatment, be sure to treat at least three feet out as well. There are no grazing restrictions for companion animals, such as horses. You will use 1.5-2 lbs. per acre for a broadcast application and 2-5 tablespoons for individual mounds.
Yes, it is necessary to trench with Taurus SC around all 4 sides of the home or other structure you are treating, in order to ensure that you have a complete barrier all the way around. Once you have completed the trenching application, the product will remain active for up to 10 years. You may want to take a look at our Termite Treatment Guide if you have not already done so.
Taurus SC Termiticide can be applied a foot up and a foot out directly against the structure on all sides. It cannot be used in the garage. You must keep all applications outside of the structure. If you would like a product that you can use indoors and outdoors for ants and centipedes, we recommend Talstar P.
Taurus SC is not labeled for this type of application. Boracare can be used to treat raw lumber to treat and prevent termites as long as this wood is not going to be burned in any way. You could spray Dominion 2L around the wood boards only on the ground but be careful to not apply to the wood.
Taurus SC Termiticide is not labeled to kill moles. We do carry Talpirid Mole Bait that can be applied to active tunnels. For more information on treating moles, please check our article on How to Get Rid of Moles for success.
Taurus SC Termiticide can only be applied 1 foot up the side of the structure, 1 foot out into the soil, and around doors and windows of a structure. In any areas outside of that, it is recommended to copiously water those areas in an attempt to diminish the residual and transferability of the product. Taurus doesn’t kill insects quickly, it’s designed for the insect to pick it up on it’s body and transfer it to other insects it comes into contact with, which can be detrimental for beneficial insects like bees and butterflies.
Taurus SC Termiticide could only be used as an exterior treatment for roaches, earwigs and black widows and cannot be used indoors. It is not a knockdown kill. For 6 month residual, you will mix at 0.8 fl oz per gallon and for quarterly treatments, you will apply at 0.4 fl oz per gallon. Spray 1 ft to 2 ft up and 1 ft out around doors, windows, vents, pipes, foundation cracks, drilled holes or around any exterior openings where listed pests could enter the structure. Make sure to treat the joint where exterior siding (wood, vinyl, aluminium or other similar materials) meets the cement, brick or block foundation.
Indoors, we would suggest using Temprid FX along baseboards, floorboards, around windows, doors, behind appliances, under cabinets, behind toilets, in closets, etc.
Taurus SC Termiticide should NOT be applied indoors or in drains. Roaches can live in a septic tank, and can come up through the plumbing lines and make their way through the drains. However, you would not be able to use an insecticide in the actual drains. There is a product called Gentrol Aerosol IGR that is an insect growth regulator that stops the reproductive cycle in roaches that can be used in drains. Keep in mind, too, that roaches often just fall into or crawl in sinks because of the water there and do not actually come up through the drains. We recommend that you treat with our Roach Control Kit Rotation A. Please take a few moments to review our treatment article and videos on How to Get Rid of Roaches for more helpful information.
Taurus SC does not require the use of an IGR but one can be used, like NyGuard IGR, if it's being applied for general pest control around the perimeter of your home.
If you want to use Taurus SC for termite protection, then the product has to be used in the soil where the termites are, not just sprayed on the surface like you would do for ants. If you have piers under your home, then you would trench around those piers with the same rate and trench as if you were treating around the foundation of a structure. You can read more in our Termite Prevention Guide here.
Taurus SC Termiticide can take a few days up to a week to kill a nest completely. It all depends on how long they spend on the treated area, how much contact they then have with others and how large the nest is.
Taurus SC Termiticide is not labeled for armyworms. A product like Talstar P Professional Insecticide would be a better option.
Taurus SC is not labeled for fleas. Fleas tend to live in moist shady areas out in the yard where pets or other animals spend a lot of time resting. Taurus SC, however, is only labeled to be used in very limited areas on or immediately next to the house or structure making it mostly ineffective for flea treatments. We recommend you use our Outdoor Flea & Tick Kit to get rid of fleas around your home. You should use a topical flea product that is labeled for use on animals such as Petcor if you are trying to also rid your pets of fleas.
A straw bale home is a very unique build so it may be hard to tell if termites are coming up through the bales themselves to access the wood that supports the bales in place. Subterranean termites need to be prevented by doing a full termite trench treatment around the outside perimeter of the home. Any subterranean termites that pass through the treated soil as they try to make their way up into the home would be eliminated. The Taurus SC is what we recommend doing the trenching treatment with as its one of the longest lasting (will protect the home at least 10 years). If there are any cracks in the concrete floor that would allow the termites to enter from an area other than around the sides of the home, you would have to drill and spot treat in those areas as needed. There isnt a way without ripping walls open to see if there are already some termites present in the bales, but there isnt anything about the bales that would be condusive to them thriving. Spot treating with the Termidor Foam where you see tubes appear is fine to do, and likely if you find them empty that means the colony didnt find what it was looking for and moved on. You can see at the link below how to do the full termite treatment but please let us know if you have any other questions
How to do a Termite Treatment
https://www.domyown.com/subterranean-termite-treatment-guide-a-478.html
Typically we recommend 24 hours of no rain after applying Taurus SC Termiticide but as long as it was not a heavy rain and the soil was displaced it should have been fine after 20 hours.
No, Taurus SC Termiticide is not a systemic to be absorbed by roots and when dealing with carpenter ants you do not use a systemic. Carpenter ants only tear at the wood to create tunnels and galleries to nest in, they do not actually feed on the tree. Instead you can use Taurus SC to directly spot treat where the ants are in the tree as directed on the product label.
As long as the ground is not frozen, Taurus SC application is fine. Please let us know if you have any more questions!
Taurus SC Termiticide has a shelf life of 3-5 years, if stored in a temperature stable environment and away from any direct sunlight.
