Can you explain what is happening when we treat? We have been using maxxthor and bithor now, just got it from you and when we first sprayed, it was awesome. We found several dead springtails, very tiny mostly, and then they were gone. And then none for like 4 days but then they came back?? How can that be? Mostly on one side of the house, outside, and then inside, same side of the house, from under the baseboards? Is the chemical gone because they’re waling through it and not phased. I bet you say to retreat because I remember seeing that somewhere but want to be sure first the chemical is working.
So what you are experiencing is called the “replacement effect“. This is when the nests under the siding and baseboards are able to “replace” the ones dying faster then they die. The net effect is that you “perceive” the problem to be back when in fact they are dying, it’s just the new ones emerging that you are seeing. This happens for two reasons.
The first is that both treatments will agitate the hidden nest driving more out in the coming days. This will cause a spike in the numbers seen that usually lasts for 2-4 weeks.
The second is that both sprays are what we call a “contact kill” when first applied.
A Contact Killer is a spray that kills target pests quickly, usually within 1-2 hours.
BUT ONCE THE SPRAY DRIES, IT LOOSES THAT POWER!!
What this means is that in just 1/2 a day after you spray, any newly emerging pests that cross over the treatment will be picking up some residual
BUT it will take 2-3 days for them to die!
And if you are spraying on a porous surface like cement or dirt? The chemical can be wicked away!
So when treating anything porous, be sure to check back daily and retreat as needed to get “ahead” of the newly emerging activity. Eventually this will end but it can last for several weeks – especially in the spring.
The following “short” video explains this in summary form:
For this reason it means you’ll be seeing new ones come out faster than the residual can kill them MAKING IT APPEAR THE PROBLEM IS WORSE!!
The bottom line is for many small pests like CLOVER MITES, SPRINGTAILS, BOOKLICE, PSOCIDS and many others, you should plan on spraying as soon as they come back.
WHY??
BECAUSE WHERE YOU SEE THEM IS WHERE THEY’RE NESTING!
So if they’re around a window? It means they’re either in the window frame OR the exterior siding AND SURFACE SPRAYING WILL NOT GET THEM IN THEIR NESTS!!
Now if you have vinyl, aluminum or wood shake siding, any of these pests could easily be thriving behind it EVEN AFTER YOU SPRAY THE HOMES EXTERIOR WITH OUR MAXXTHOR!!
For sure Maxxthor will penetrate small cracks and crevices in brick mortar or even up under masonite. But siding that has a space like Vinyl, Stucco or Aluminum all have spaces that can keep huge populations of pests very well protected.
To end the invasions inside or to stop seeing them on the homes siding, you need to treat behind the siding with the POWER INJECTOR!
For inside the home, say around baseboards? It would most likely be under the baseboard, in carpeting or around a point of entry like a window or door.
So in summary, what you are seeing is normal. And the time line is 1-2 months for most people to see huge reductions in activity as explained here:
BUT IF YOU WANT TO END THIS CYCLE FASTER, THE POWER INJECTOR WILL HELP!
And based on where they’re coming from in your home, it may be needed.
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