Pest manager Lindsay Hollingworth from WA shares his experience of using Attrathor insecticide to target cockroaches.
Attrathor Targeted Insecticide from Ensystex has become a firm favourite with professional pest managers as the premier means of cockroach control. It makes the time consuming use of messy cockroach gel baits seem positively old-fashioned. Attrathor offers improved performance, faster elimination and significant cost savings, with no visible evidence of treatment.
Attrathor has revolutionised cockroach control by providing a targeted film application containing ‘Quick-release Insect Attractant Micro-capsules’ with ‘Controlled-release Active Microcapsules’ of fipronil, to give improved efficacy.
The ‘Quick-release Insect Attractant Micro-capsules’ are tiny, 5μm capsules which contain the liquid food attractant in a solid core matrix within a polymer shell. These allow for the quick release of the attractant, which diffuses out through the shell, quickly luring the cockroaches to the ‘Attrathor Target Zone’.
Attrathor is highly effective at controlling the critical nymphal stages missed by many products. Studies have shown that cockroach nymphs do not travel far from harbourages, so they are hard to reach with other products. Moreover, feeding studies have shown the strong preference that nymphal cockroaches hold for adult cockroach vomitus. Attrathor contains a cockroach emetic, so cockroaches in contact with Attrathor will return to harbourages where, after about four hours, they will vomit. This vomitus contains some of the active fipronil, which is readily fed on by the nymphal stages leading to the viral transfer of the active, assisting with the elimination of the nymphal stages.
Further viral transfer occurs through coprophagy, an essential aspect of nymphal cockroach nutrition. Oral intake of the fipronil therefore becomes a major factor in cockroach mortality, in addition to toxicity by contact exposure. This in turn causes the fast results obtained in the field.
Peer-reviewed studies have confirmed the high effectiveness of Attrathor against multi-resistant strains of cockroaches, and against insecticide only based sprays.
Lindsay Hollingworth (main picture, above) owner of the Pest Guys in Western Australia advised, “We have found Attrathor to be a real winner. It is our first choice product for use in commercial accounts and we have found it will control the toughest of cockroach infestations.
“I have managed many demanding and complex commercial cockroach accounts over more than 20 years. Without a doubt, Attrathor has been the most effective product we have used. Our experiences in controlling German cockroaches have been tremendous.
“Definitely the application method and the correct dosage using the Ensystex Accuthor sprayer, is important. Whilst Attrathor has produced amazing results, the best result of all has been the high level of customer satisfaction.”
Mr Hollingworth explained, “Attrathor is like no other product on the market. It is quick to apply and the cost in use is very favourable. The ‘Controlled-release Active Micro- capsules’ of fipronil really do the job. These micro-capsules have a fine polymer shell, and trapped between the liquid fipronil core and the outer shell are tiny bubbles of CO2. These bubbles pressurise the micro-capsules, ensuring that when the insect makes contact with them they burst open. This releases the fipronil, which is absorbed directly through the cuticle. So, using Attrathor means that we can now guarantee to rid commercial premises of cockroaches!”
The science behind Attrathor supports what so many professional pest managers are finding in the field. Their experiences in controlling German cockroaches have been fantastic. We regularly hear reports from top companies that the time period between the application of Attrathor and good results has been as short as a couple of hours! The most important result of all though has been the customer satisfaction professionals encounter following the application of Attrathor.
Steve Broadbent, Regional Director, Ensystex
