Our lawns and yards are little oases of green. We take pleasure in the vibrant green color and the soft, springy turf: a place to relax, a place for our children to play, and something good to look at.
But what if your lawn looks thin with ugly brown spots, patches of grass that look as if they are dying, wilting blades and parts that are just dead?
Pests have invaded your space!
You take action – but the choice of insecticide can be bewildering. We can help you choose the best granular insecticide for your yard and lawn.
Here is a list of our top choices for the best insect killer granules:
- EcoSMART 33134 Insect Granules
- Spectracide Triazicide Acre Plus Insect Killer For Lawns Granules
- Sevin Lawn Insect Granules
- BONIDE PRODUCTS Inc 60365 Insect/Grub Killer
- Ortho Bug B Gon Insect Killer for Lawns
What are granules?
Insecticide granules consist of a porous organic material, like corn cob or clay, with insecticide attached. To activate the insect granules, they have to be wetted – and once wet, the granules release some of the insecticides. This means that the product continues to be active for a relatively long time.
Insecticide granules or spray?
Your first decision – but which suits you best?
Insect killer granules are usually used out of doors in your yard or on your lawn. They are easy to apply since they are packaged ready to use – there is no mixing required.
You are unlikely to accidentally inhale any of the poison, which is always a risk when using sprays – and once watered, the insecticide is activated and seeps down into your lawn. Once there, the granular insecticide gets to work and acts as a very effective lawn insect killer. Providing you use gloves, you are unlikely to either inhale the insecticide or come into direct contact with it. The granules also store well.
Liquid insecticides usually come as a concentrate that you have to mix with water. Then most of the liquid insect killers are applied with a spray.
A downside to sprays is that they can be blown by the wind and drift into places you do not want to treat. The concentrates pose a certain risk to you when mixing: accidentally inhaling tiny particles or coming into contact with them, which can damage your skin. BUT, they are easy to apply – and some do come ready to use.
In both cases, correct application and reading the instructions and keeping to them will allow the insecticides to work as they should and keep you, your children, and your pets safer.
You need the right tools for the job. For the liquids, you need a sprayer, and for the granular insecticide, a broadcast spreader is the best way to apply the granules – you just need to set it to the correct reading.
What to consider when choosing your granular insecticide
There are a few things you might want to check out when choosing your best granular insecticide:
- Safety
- Location
- Target insect
- The time it acts and lasts
- Ease of application
- Environmental and ecological issues
So, let’s look at them in a bit more detail.
Safety
There is no completely safe insecticide! Any chemical has risks, and even the organic pest control granules are not 100% safe, but there are ways to minimize the risks when you use them – just follow the instruction on the pack!
Location
Many people make the mistake of applying the granular insecticide just on individual ant heaps in the lawn – and this is ineffective since either some of the ants relocate or there are already ant colonies forming elsewhere.
It’s best to apply the granules over the whole area – which is easy to do using a seed spreader.
And if you treat your lawn early in the day while the ants are still asleep, you may get the best results.
Target insect
Some insect killer granules work for some pests but are less useful for others. You might have ants in your lawn, or you may need flea and tick granules for the yard, and there are many other insect pests you might need to apply pest control granules for.
How can you tell if you have fleas? They like moisture, and they like to hang onto your pets, but if you want to be sure, try this – don a pair of long white socks and walk through the grass! If little black dots collect on your sock, then you probably have fleas!
As for ticks, they stick to you or your pets after a romp in the grass, and you need to remove them safely since ticks spread Lyme disease (which can be serious). You might like to check out this short video on the right way to remove a tick.
When does the granular insecticide work?
When you use pest control granules, you need to activate them by watering them in (or apply before it rains).
Depending on the pesticide you choose, and the insects you are targeting, the results can take effect within a day and continue for several weeks.
For example, if you are using lawn insect granules to kill off ants, then although each ant who eats the poison is killed off within one to two days, they must return to the nest and share it with others. This process can take several weeks. The larger the colony, the longer it is likely to take.
Ease of application
If you have the correct equipment, granules are very easy to use. You just need a spreader, gloves, and protective clothing.
Ecological and environmental considerations
More and more people are taking ecological and environmental considerations into account when choosing their bug killer granules. Does this insecticide kill worms and pollinating bees? Is it safe to use near water?
Our Best Granule Insecticide Reviews
EcoSMART 33134 Insect Granules
Best insecticide for the environmentally conscious
Despite the absence of traditional synthetic pesticides, Ecosmart granules are highly effective insect killers. They kill or repel over 100 creepy crawlies.
These insect granules work by using essential oils. These block certain neuroreceptors which only exist in insects – hence they are safe for other forms of life. And they act quite quickly. These insect granules have a pleasant minty scent.
People are becoming more aware of the dangers of insecticides, so it is no surprise; this is the fastest-growing pesticide in the United States (at time of writing). It is as effective as the synthetic chemicals used by other brands of granular insecticides. Both homeowners and professionals use EcoSMART.
Pros
- Safe for mammals, birds, and plants
- Non-toxic – aquatic life is safe
- Can kill over 100 insects
- 100% organic
Cons
- May appear slower to act
Spectracide Triazicide Acre Plus Insect Killer for Lawns Granules
Powerful insect killer granules, which kill on contact
These lawn insect killer granules work fast, above, and below ground. It works in the yard and can be used as a barrier to protect your house. Best used late July to early October.
For the best results, use them at the first sign of damage to your lawn and when the grass is dry. The lawn insect granules then need light watering in. Once dry, it’s safe for children and pets to return.
(Excluding harvester and pharaoh ants) but also attacks a wide range of other insect pests. This means you do need to be careful where you use it, and it should not drain into open water. Make sure you store it where children or pets cannot reach it.
Pros
- Used on lawns, and yards
- Kills on contact
- Effective above and below ground
- Effective for a whole season
- Useful barrier protection
Cons
- Kills aquatic creatures
- Toxic to children and pets
- Doesn’t work on harvester and pharaoh ants
- Avoid using when it’s rainy or before harvesting
Sevin Lawn Insect Granules
These insect killer granules are ideal for large areas
These versatile bug-killer-granules target ticks, fleas, and ants – plus over 30 other insect pests.
You can even use these granules on flowerbeds, vegetables, and grazing land – although as with most of the insect killer granules, you should not allow children or pets back to play until after the watering in has fully dried out.
Earthworms seem to be safe, but they are toxic to aquatic life, so the watering should not be allowed to run off into ditches or drains.
You may have to wait a few days for the full effects to be noticeable, the effects last up to three months – and you can always reapply the granules if you need to.
When you have a large property to look after, these insect killer granules could be the best solution for you.
Pros
- Lasts up to three months
- Children and pets safe once dry
- Good coverage – ideal for large areas
- You can use it on vegetable crops
Cons
- Toxic to aquatic creatures
- Care needed to prevent runoff after watering in
BONIDE PRODUCTS Inc 60365 Insect/Grub Killer
One granular pesticide – kills insects above and below your lawn
No products found.One of the best granular lawn insect killer granules. Bonide bug killer granules kill grubs and another 40 insects. These include earwigs, fleas, and ticks.
Because it contains Lambda Cyhalothrin it acts on contact, and because Bonide insect granules also contain Imidacloprid, the action is sustained as this chemical has a systemic effect.
You need a lawn spreader to help you apply the granules evenly. Your children and pets can play on the lawn a few hours after treatment, but like many of these bug killer granules, they are toxic to aquatic life and should not be allowed to run off into drains and ditches.
Pros
- Fast-acting and systemic effects
- Safe after a few hours for children and pets
- Works above ground and below ground
Cons
- Toxic to aquatic creatures
Ortho Bug B Gon Insect Killer for Lawns
Can kill all insects and bugs which could invade your home
These granules claim to kill over 235 insect pests for up to three months. You need to use this early in the season before the bugs get a real hold on your property. If it doesn’t appear to be working, they guarantee your money back.
It is not a contact killer, it kills systemically. This means you have to wait a short while before you can see the full effects. These insecticide granules also repel other pests like snakes, mice, and chipmunks
It is probably best not to use these powerful insect killer granules round vegetables.
Pros
- Kills over 235 insects
- Repels mosquitoes for 6 months, other insects for up to 3 months
- CChildren and pet-safe after its completely dry
Cons
- Toxic to bees and aquatic creatures
- Not suitable during harvest season
Conclusion
To decide which is the best granular insecticide we need to consider your own circumstances. All of the granular pesticides mentioned in this article are powerful insect killers, and all have their own unique attributes.
- Sold on Amazon
- MADE IN THE USA
- ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY: This product will not contaminate ground water supplies, hurt mammals, birds or fish, so you can always feel good about using EcoSMART
- CHILD AND PET FRIENDLY: This product is safe to use around kids and pets, when used as directed
EcoSMART is gaining in popularity. It is effective and most of all it is as safe as any insecticide can be. It also focusses on the pests. Your bees, your worms, and your pets are safe. It is suitable for commercial use as well as for the homeowner, and for these reasons, we think this is is the near-perfect insect killer.
If ants in your lawn are a special concern you might like to try Spetracide Triazide – perhaps the best lawn insect killer granules.
Research
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/jan/24/pesticides-kill-frogs-within-hour
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/pros_and_cons_of_granular_and_liquid_fertilizers
https://pets.webmd.com/outdoors