Ficam W Residue

[AntsyAmy 0]

Hi,

 

I apologise for this before I ask as I'm no pest expert but having recently bought a very old house by the sea, I'm starting to think it would be a great career choice as there's no end of pests here!

 

Today I had to have someone out to look at some garden ants that are trying to take over my living room area.

 

The skirting/carpet area was treated with Ficam W just in the living room, and the outside of the house was also treated along ground level etc and around the front door.

 

I'm told that once it dries in there's little risk to humans and it will leave some light residue.

 

I don't have pets or kids myself, but we regularly have family visit and that includes dogs and young children (the youngest is aged 2 and still spends his time at floor level).

 

I was given a sheet of info on Ficam but it really doesn't cover the dry residue and potential health impacts from it. Just to keep children & pets away until it is dry.

 

Can anyone advise what the risk is to a child if they end up touching it once dry and then get it in their mouth/eyes etc?

 

Does the risk reduce over time (does it degrade somehow?!)?

 

And how does one go about cleaning the room without risk of contamination?

 

Given the age of the house and the number of potential entry points, I'm fairly sure this won't be the last time we need to use an expert but I'd like to be more confident in future that I'm not risking any small person's health.

 

I did read that Ficam W can be used for bed bugs and on mattresses - that would suggest once dry the risk is minimal - but again, I'd like to be sure.

 

Thanks to anyone who can offer some thoughts and sorry for clogging up your board.

 

Amy

[talpa 55]

Once dry, Ficam W has very low risk to any occupants of a premises be they human or animal.

It sounds like you used a profesional pest control company as they have given good advice as well as leaving a data sheet. Hopefully they spent some time trying to locate the trails of ants and followed them back to treat the source of the ants at the nest, which would give the most effective result.

If you think about the spray, a powder is disolved in water (usually 1 sachet /5L), the spray should have been light and concentrated in the areas that the ants were trailing, so only a small volume would have been used and distruibuted over the carpet. Unless someone is determined to lick the whole surface of the carpet after drying they are not going to be able to contact much of the insecticide. The longevity of the product and its degradation is determined by many things such as Heat, UV light, the traffic over the areas, vacuuming, mopping and the initial cleanliness of the surface treated.

You need to bear in mind that the MSDS sheet principally refers to the product in its undiluted state. It is very easy for clients to get very worried with no need when they read them.

Cats are deemed to be at greatest risk from Ficam W, we regularly treat properties where Cats have caused Flea issues and have never had any problems as we are very clear to customers of the risk if they let cats on to treated surface that havent dried, and the cats absorb the pesticide through their paws.

If you need further services get list of Pest controller in your area from either BPCA or NPTA website and they should be appropriately qualified and insured.

[AntsyAmy 0]

Thanks Talpa for your reply, I really appreciate it.

 

Yes the sheet that comes with it rather makes it sound very scary indeed. I am a bit of a worrier when it comes to chemicals spreading round the house, for example, the porch was treated, and a package was left in it by a courier after it had dried, and my partner lifted up the package, opened it and then open his beer! I was immediately worried he'd poison himself somehow, but your explanation helps, as I guess even if there was a tiny amount transferred to the package it would be unlikely to be in sufficient quantity to do any damage, so thank you

 

The chap did find the ants nest but it was in my next door neighbours garden and he didn't want it treated!! He did the best he could and we'll seal up the crack in our skirting that they were coming through and hope for the best. I'll be having words with the neighbours if they come back though!

 

Thanks

[DIDO.1 22,845]

Good advice and info from your pesty and the above reply.

 

Personally I can't remember the last time I sprayed a ants unless I had direct access to the nest, gels are my first line of attack.

[AntsyAmy 0]

Thanks Dido, much appreciated.

 

If the ants come back, I'll ask about gels.

 

[ratattack 111]

I never spray for garden ants, no need what so ever these days.

[AntsyAmy 0]

I'm not sure why spray was used over anything else - maybe because the nest was in my neighbours garden and they refused to have it treated?

 

I dare say I'll never know!

 

How long should I leave it there before cleaning it away? No more ants have come through the crack in the skirting today, if I fill it in over the weekend and leave it for another week would it be ok to hoover, clean the skirtings etc as long as no more ants have come through the livingroom? Should any special precautions be taken so as not to spread the residue around?

 

I'd really rather try to clean it away as soon as practicable, not just for my peace of mind but I've already seen two dead spiders in the porch area that was sprayed, and I don't want to be killing them too. In an old house the spiders are my friend in keeping other pests at bay!

 

We have some particularly large spiders that look like they've been here as long as the house has, and I'd like to try and keep some of them around.

 

Thanks for your help

[shropshire mole 190]

Glad to hear that the pest controller you had, left verbal and written instructions - that is how it should be done, I tend to gel within the house, spay if a temporary quick effect is needed eg works canteen then come back and gel when closed

 

 

I do my own safety data sheet, as you really only need little sections of the original. The official one is talking about large wagon sized loads rather than an individual with 1 sachet dilluted in 2.5/5 litres water

[ratattack 111]

Why spray and gel?? I treated a very busy ant colony in a kitchen 2 days ago in that massive heat, they were running round like they were on speed! A few blobs of gel by the nest and 15 mins later there were no ants running around as they were all on the gel. Spray and gel in the same areas defeats the purpose of the gel. Spraying in a works canteen when open is wrong in the first place with food being prepped or served. Gel is the most effective and sensible treatment I've seen yet.

[DIDO.1 22,845]

If you spray you can reduce ant numbers, which would reduce gel intake, reducing how effective gel is?

[shropshire mole 190]

No No No

 

A targeted quick crack and crevice treatment will have the desired effect and keep the canteen manager happy. (repeat business)

 

Gels are good but takes 12 hours between consumption and death, hence what i did

 

Cant see a huge problem with this.

 

ps... Did I mention spraying when open?? Think not

[ratattack 111]

In my post, 15 mins and no ants moving around the kitchen as they were on the gel ,which was placed by the nest entrances, they were on it like a tramp on chips. As good if not better than sprays and no risk of staff slipping on a wet area. The gel is by far and away the way to treat black ants in any situation. I very rarely use sprays anymore due to the efficacy of gel baits. I:E no retreats required and very happy customers! I deal with care homes that used to be riddled with ants as people kept spraying the worker ants (the symptoms) without eradicating the nests ( the cause) Gel or spray not both.

My boss loves bloody ficam w for everything and will not realise the benefits of other treatments like gels. I won't use ficam w due to the unsightly residues.

 

Reading your post it implies you would spray to appease the canteen manager when open and come back to place gel once closed? So 2 visits for 1 treatment? There is no offence meant by any of this its just interesting to see how people treat things differently.

 

 

Dido you hit the nail on the head! Pretty obvious if you kill the workers bringing the poison back to the nest before they can feed the queen and larvae you are wasting your time IMO.

Edited July 3, 2015 by ratattack