Termidor SC is not a good option for fire ant control because it can only be used on or immediately next to a structure. It is not labeled to be used in the lawn.
Talstar P (Talstar One) would be a good option for chiggers in the lawn. This can be broadcast across the yard.
For fire ants, we would recommend a bait, Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait. This can be broadcast across the lawn or applied to individual mounds.
We understand your concerns and are happy to address them. Delta Dust is placed inside the wall voids so this is inaccessible to children and adults as well. Cy-Kick CS is safe once it is dry. Children should be kept out of the area that MotherEarth Granular Scatter Bait is placed until the application is complete. Termidor SC should only be used outdoors unless there is an active termite infestation indoors and you are applying it directly to the infested area. This is another product that children should be kept out of the area while it is being applied.
These products are safe to use around your home if they are being used correctly. We recommend always following the labels on products and taking the necessary precautions.
Termidor SC is a great exterior product for ants including carpenter ants. It will last for six months as a topical outdoor application but can take some time to fully eradicate as the ants carry it and transfer to other colony members. You will be able to get rid of Carpenter Ants more effectively if you can locate where they are coming from. They are the most active at night between 10AM-4AM. We do recommend treating with the Maxforce FC Carpenter Ant Bait and the Advance Carpenter Ant Bait. These baits will be extremely effective. The granules should be applied when dry outside and you are not expecting any rainfall within 24 hours of application. The bait gel can be applied directly to indoor cracks and crevices once every two weeks.
Since termites do not usually come within 2-3 inches of the top soil, spraying the top surface of the ground with a termicide such as Termidor SC will not have any effect on Subterranean Termites. Doing a barrier soil treatment around the perimeter of home with Termidor SC will give you a 10 year barrier protection against termites. In the areas where there is dirt, dig a 6x6 inch trench pouring 4 gallons of mixed solution every 10 lineal feet (.8 fl oz per gallon of water) For your garage, porch, patios, or other contiguous slabs against the home where you cannot trench, you will drill holes to ensure the termiticide reaches the soil underneath the concrete. Using a hammer drill with a 1/2" x 18" drill bit, drill holes through the concrete about 2 to 3 inches away from the wall or foundation, and about every 10"-12" apart, only on the seam where the concrete is against the foundation. The deeper the better. Once the holes are drilled, you fill at the same rate you did the trench, 4 gallons per 10 feet. This works out to be a little less than half a gallon per hole. It is difficult to get 4 gallons per 10 feet in the holes, so it is important that you use a long drill bit, at least 18" long so you can bore out enough dirt to hold the termiticide. Sometimes the ground is slow to soak up the termiticide you place in the holes. You may need to fill the holes, then go work on something else for an hour, come back and fill them again, go work on something else.....3 to 4 times to get the proper amount down the holes. Once the holes are filled all you need to do is patch them with a concrete patch filler you can buy at Home Depot or you can use our Trebor plugs that will close the hole with no concrete mess.
Please take a look at our "How to do a Termite Treatment" Article for further information.
