Helping control your world for over 170 years!

Black Flag® has killed more insects for more years than any other insecticide brand. In fact, the first Black Flag product was sold in 1833 and was based on the naturally occurring insecticide Nicotine. Since then, the brand has always stood for extremely effective insect control but the technology behind the brand has continuously evolved.

Today, some Black Flag products effectively control certain insects without using any insecticide at all. Other Black Flag products use extremely small amounts of active ingredients that are lethal to insects but, when used as directed, pose no harm to people, pets or the environment.

The Early Years

Little is known about the brand during the 19th and early 20th centuries. What is clear is that at some point, Black Flag became part of the Boyle Midway Company of Baltimore, MD and was sold in a powder form that claimed to “kill flies, mosquitoes, ants, fleas, roaches, bed bugs, moths, chicken-lice and plant-lice.” The label further claimed it: “was not a poison to mankind and the higher Animals when used according to instructions.” We believe that at some point during the Great Depression, Boyle Midway moved its offices to New York.

The Sensation of 1948

Victorious GI’s had recently returned home from Europe and the Pacific and were starting families all over America. New houses were built in enormous quantities and especially in the Southern and Western states—where insect problems are the worst. In part to address this growing consumer need, in 1948 Black Flag introduced its “Super Insect Spray”. Radio listeners heard announcer Ed Fleming talk about this amazing insecticide on NBC's FRONT PAGE FARRELL serial program. Fleming referred to Black Flag as "The Sensation of 1948."

Black Flag was already a well known household brand but Fleming stated the product was the most effective insecticide ever made for home use. Quite a claim! There was a reason why Black Flag Super Insect Spray was more effective than other insecticides. That reason was strength in numbers. Rather than using just one insect-killing ingredient, Black Flag Super Insect Spray contained five different insecticides in one blue and yellow can. All by itself, one of them was more effective in killing crawling insects than any other insecticide then available.

In the radio commercial, Fleming stated Black Flag was made in 3 different forms—liquid, powder, and a new device known as the aerosol can. In fact, Black Flag was the first nationally marketed insecticide aerosol. Instead of mixing and/or pouring into the Black Flag Sprayer, Black Flag in the aerosol can was ready to spray. Today, more insect killers are sold in aerosols than in any other form.

The American Home Products Years

Boyle Midway became one of the consumer divisions of American Home Products during the 1950’s and Black Flag received even more advertising and promotional support. In fact, over $150,000,000 has been spent over the years to build the Black Flag brand throughout the Americas. Consumer knowledge of the brand is nearly as high in Canada as it is in the US.

In 1977, the insect control experts at Black Flag shocked the world again with the introduction of the first roach trap—the Roach Motel®. This pesticide free product was marketed behind the memorable advertising slogan, “Roaches check in…but they don’t check out!” Both the Roach Motel brand from Black Flag and its slogan remain two of the most recognized insect control trademarks in the world.

Today, Black Flag Brands markets 6 brands and over 25 different products both in the US, Canada, and throughout the Caribbean. These brands include: Black Flag®, Roach Motel®, Fly Motel®, Yellow Jacket Motel™, and Back Country®. Our mission is simple: Black Flag Brands is a North American, customer-driven insecticide products company. We market superior performing products behind the promise of the Black Flag brand.

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