Termidor SC - Questions & Answers

Termidor SC is labeled for black widow spiders specifically but it cannot be used on play equipment. Termidor SC can only be used on or immediately around the foundation of a structure. We do not recommend using any type of insecticide on the play equipment. We do recommend sealing the holes so that spiders cannot nest there. You can treat the areas around the play equipment with a product such as Talstar P to keep crawling insects from making the play-set their home. Knock down any spider web as soon as you see them to discourage spiders from nesting in unwanted areas.

We would not recommend using Termidor SC around a honey bee hive. Instead, we would recommend using Mavrik Perimeter. Mavrik Perimeter is for outdoor use and is known for its immediate control of a variety of insects including mosquitoes, ants, spiders, ticks, springtails, cockroaches and fire ants. With Mavrik Perimeter there is no lingering odor or visible residue and when dry it is non toxic and non repellent to honey bees. 

Do not apply Termidor SC within 5 feet of a well or cistern. Treatment within 5 to 10 feet of a well or cistern must be done by backfill method only (removing the dirt to be treated and replacing it after it has been treated elsewhere or in a container such as a wheelbarrow).

 Termidor is only labeled for use around residential and commercial structures and should not be used away from a structure.  So we are not able to recommend it as a treatment method.  Most termiticides are only labeled for use around structures.  Termidor does take up to 90 days to kill a termite colony.  It is recommended when having a wood pile to build a structure for it or place it up on blocks or on a metal stand so it does not come into contact with the ground.  That being said, a 6 x 6 inch trench would work, IF it was labeled to be used away from the house.

The exact distance you need to be from a body of water is not specified on the Termidor SC product label. When using Termidor SC, it is the applicators responsibility to make absolutely sure that runoff or overspray cannot enter a body water. You can help ensure this by not using Termidor SC on windy or rainy days or on embankments near the water. The Termidor SC product label states that you cannot use Termidor SC closer than 5 feet from a well or cistern and we feel that same guideline should be followed for other bodies of water as well.

Termidor SC can be used in crawlspaces. There are complete instructions on the Termidor SC product label (page 5) on how to use the product in the crawlspace, so if a bit inadvertently goes into the crawlspace it should not pose a problem.

The trench around the exterior of the house only needs to be 6 inches deep.  It is not realistic to dig a 5 foot deep trench and no company would do this either.  On the inside of the basement, it would probably be a good idea to drill through the slab of the basement along the wall that is below grade and apply Termidor SC through the slab and/or treat the termites directly in the wall where the activity is.

The shelf life of the Termidor SC when stored properly in a temperature stable environment out of direct sunlight is roughly 5 years. It it has been improperly stored or is older than about 5 years or so, then we would suggest getting a new bottle to ensure the product is at full strength for your needs. If it is within the 5 year date and the color has simply changed, it can be due to the active ingredients settling or just changing slightly over time.

If you have termites in your home, we recommend doing the liquid treatment as outlined in the "How To Do A Termite Treatment" article and then inside the home where you know you have the termites you will treat them directly by injecting the Termidor into the wall or cutting a hole into the wall and spraying on the wood or however you can get the product to the termites. It only needs to touch a few termites to work.

Termidor SC is not a good option for fire ant control because it can only be used on or immediately adjacent to a structure, it is not labeled to be used out in the yard.  We recommend using a fire ant bait granule such as Advion Fire Ant Granules or Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Granules. Both of these are labeled specifically for fire ants and can be used out in the yard as a broadcast or mound treatment.

You can apply Termidor SC in a 3/8 or 1/2 inch hole. Either would be the size drill bit that you will use to drill the holes for termite treatments. The benefit of having a larger hole is that the product will be applied quicker in the hole making the solution reach the soil quicker.

Termidor SC is not labeled to control grubs and is also not allowed to be used in the yard for any pest. If you are having a problem with grubs in your yard you would either use a product like Dylox Granules if the infestation is current, or use a product like Merit Granules in the spring to prevent grubs from being a problem throughout the year. This time of year is not a good time to treat for grubs as they will be going deeper into the soil soon and will no longer be feeding on your lawn. They must be feeding actively in order for either the Dylox or the Merit to work and most people only see very limited and partial control when trying to treat for grubs this time of year. You can follow the instructions on the product labels to see how to apply the products to your property.

Termidor is not a wood treatment product and will not penetrate into wood.  It is meant to be applied to soil.  So spraying Termidor on fascia boards or any other surface will not do much.  If you are trying to take care of termites in wood, then you have to drill holes into the wood and inject the Termidor directly.  It has to come into contact with the termites in the wood to be effective.

You will need to dig one long continuous trench that is 6 inches wide by 6 inches deep right up against the foundation of your home. You will then mark the trench off in 10 ft segments. For every 10 feet of trench you will then apply 4 gallons of diluted Termidor SC. This is how all professional companies apply the product and this is how the product label specifies applying the product. Please read our How to Perform a Termite Treatment Article for more information, helpful tips and videos. Please let us know if you need anything else.

Termidor will kill brown recluse, but may not be able to be sprayed where you need to treat the brown recluse. Cyper WSP would be the best product to use fro brown recluse spiders. 

When using Termidor SC to treat yellow jackets, mix .8fl oz of Termidor SC per gallon of water and treat ONLY the exterior points of the home where you have located the yellow jacket nest. Treat using a low-pressure coarse banded surface spray up to 18 inches in

Both Termidor and Bora-Care are good for treating dry wood termites.  They do it in different ways though.  Termidor is considered to be one of the best treatments around, however it is typically meant for subterranean termites and it is poured into the ground.  When using Termidor to treat dry wood termites, you have to drill holes into the wood and get the Termidor directly into the void where the termites are for it to work. Termidor will not penetrate through the wood, you have to get it in the right place.  Also, Termidor SC does not have any long term protection qualities in the wood.  Bora-Care is a wood treatment product and will penetrate through the wood. When applying Bora-Care you do not have to get it directly where the termites are.  You would typically just spray it on the surface of the wood and the Bora-Care will penetrate through the wood and kill the termites inside.  Also, since Bora-Care is a wood treatment product, it will stay in the wood forever and protect it forever.  The down side is that Bora-Care can only be applied to normal raw wood.  It cannot be applied to wood that has been painted, stained, or sealed.  So, if you are exposing the studs or normal wood anywhere on the house or replacing any wood then usually Bora-Care is what you want to use since it will protect the wood long term.  If you have an infestation in wood that is painted and you will not be replacing it, then typically you would drill holes into the wood and use Termidor SC.

Termidor SC is safe for pets if applied when they are not in the area. They can return once the treated surfaces are completely dry.

The holes should be 2" from the foundation wall and 10-12" apart. You will apply the finished solution at 4 gallons every 10 lineal feet. You will mix 0.8 fl oz of Termidor SC per gallon in a 5 gallon bucket (4 gallons of water and 3.2 fl oz of Termidor SC).

Termidor SC is not labeled for grubs but we do offer products that are effective. Please take a few moments to review our article on How to Get Rid of Grubs for the best results.