Rotating or switching out the pesticides that you are using is very important, regardless of the type of pest you are trying to kill. Why? Because pests can and will develop an immunity to the products, thus making them ineffective.
Just today I read an article talking about how bed bugs are becoming resistant to today’s pesticides. That is REALLY bad news. Bed bugs were a major problem in the 60’s, and were only able to be brought under control by DDT, which is now banned and no longer on the market. After DDT was taken off of the market, bed bugs started to spread again. New products were developed to combat bed bugs, although none of them are nearly as effective as DDT. These same products have been used for years and years. Over time, bed bugs have built up a resistance to these products, a resistance that is now passed down and strengthened from generation to generation. Bed bugs can be controlled by heat treatments, but these treatments are often not affordable for most people, normally costing in the thousands of dollars.
How often do you need to rotate your pesticides? It really depends on how much and how often you are using it. In most situations, we normally change out our pesticides about every 6 to 9 months. Sometimes we do it sooner, but that seems to be the average time frame. We visit most of our customers on a quarterly basis, which means that in 6 months, we would have treated their home 2 times.
As with anything, there are exceptions. As I mentioned above, sometimes we rotate sooner than the 6 to 9 month time frame. If we are dealing with a German Roach infestation, and we are not seeing good results, it could be because the customer had a previous pest control company treating their home that was using products with similar active ingredients.
If you have been battling pests at your home with little to no success, consider trying a new product. You might be very surprised at its quick success.