Gregg from Duluth, Mn. writes
How much should i buy and in what form? Powder, premixed liquid or concentrate? sprayable or what? How long is shelf life and is it safe to store in the house? I have a cabin with aprox an acre to two acres i would treat. I understand that i should probably treat the area this way for aprox 3 years to get the entire life cycle of ticks and larvae Correct?
We do not have any experience using cotton soaked with permethrin in tubes on rodents so we can not offer advice on this type of application. Below is the advice we usually offer for tick control: Permethrin SFR would be a great choice for indoor and outdoor tick control. We also recommend adding an insect growth regulator such as Archer IGR to Permethrin to stop the ticks from being able to develop while you are trying to eliminate the infestation. Do not make spot applications. Treat the entire area where exposure to ticks may occur. Use more water (not more product) when treating areas with dense ground cover or heavy leaf litter. Ticks may be reintroduced from surrounding areas on host animals. Retreatment may be necessary to achieve and/or maintain control during periods of high pest pressure. All of your dogs should be treated with a product that is specifically labeled for use on dogs for tick control. You can also help by creating a "tick safe zone" in your yard. You should have an area that is at least 9 ft wide between your yard and any wooded area. Trim back trees to allow as much sunlight as possible into your yard. Keep grass as short. Remove as much leaf litter as possible. A clearly defined, well manicured border between your yard and any wooded areas or weedy lots will reduce the chance of ticks infesting your yard.
Answer last updated on: 04/23/2012
