Staff Answer
Jun 08, 2026 - 08:00 AM
Mosquitoes are not difficult to kill. Talstar (bifenthrin) and Onslaught (Esfenvalorate) are essentially from the same group of chemicals known as synthetic pyrethroids. Esfenvalerate is slightly faster-acting, with Onslaught Fastcap being the fastest-acting of all, since it also contains Prallethrin and Piperonyl Butoxide. My favorite is Onslaught Fastcap since it is also microencapsulated and will last longer through rain and direct sunlight. All of these products must be applied through handheld sprayers or backpack sprayers. This is called "backpack spraying" or "manual spraying".
Mosquito control does not come from using the best of strongest chemical. It comes from "spray frequency". Heavy rains, heat, sunlight, etc will work to destroy all pesticides in a matter of days, hours or sometimes minutes. That means if you sprayed any of these products in the morning, there is a good chance that, with heat, sunlight, rain, etc., they will be gone or at least washed away by the afternoon. Rain will wash microencapsulated insecticides into the soil where mosquitoes won't be effected by them. Concentrates such as Talstar, or Bifenthrin will simply dilute and wash away. This is why, for most practical purposes, regular, repeated sprays are the only way to kill mosquitoes on an ongoing schedule. Automatic misting units such as those made by MistAway are the most effective since they can automatically mist on a timer several times a day. Manual spraying by hand several times a day is usually not feasible or economical to do.
If you don't want to install a system, get a good back pack sprayer or mist blower and use Onslaught Fastcap. This is the preferred "manual spray" choice by mosquito control companies all over the USA.
Mosquito control does not come from using the best of strongest chemical. It comes from "spray frequency". Heavy rains, heat, sunlight, etc will work to destroy all pesticides in a matter of days, hours or sometimes minutes. That means if you sprayed any of these products in the morning, there is a good chance that, with heat, sunlight, rain, etc., they will be gone or at least washed away by the afternoon. Rain will wash microencapsulated insecticides into the soil where mosquitoes won't be effected by them. Concentrates such as Talstar, or Bifenthrin will simply dilute and wash away. This is why, for most practical purposes, regular, repeated sprays are the only way to kill mosquitoes on an ongoing schedule. Automatic misting units such as those made by MistAway are the most effective since they can automatically mist on a timer several times a day. Manual spraying by hand several times a day is usually not feasible or economical to do.
If you don't want to install a system, get a good back pack sprayer or mist blower and use Onslaught Fastcap. This is the preferred "manual spray" choice by mosquito control companies all over the USA.
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