"An ounce of prevention is a pound cured." Mike M.
Organic Pesticides
Organic pesticides are commonly used throughout
Insecticidal Soap
Insecticidal Soap can also be used to control pests. The ingredients and pros and cons are the following:
Ingredients: Insecticidal soap is sodium or potassium salts combined with fatty acids.
Application: Insecticidal soap must come in direct contact with the insect. It is no longer effective once it has dried.
How It Works: The fatty acids in the soap penetrate the insect’s outer covering and cause the cells to collapse.
Pros:
- One of the safest pesticides.
- Non-toxic to animals.
- No residue.
Cons:
- Can burn or stress plants.
Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis)
Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis)
Ingredients: Bacteria. There are more than 80 types of Bt used as pesticides.
Application: Generally available in powdered form that is sprinkled or dusted on a plant. It must be eaten by the targeted insect.
How It Works: Bt is a stomach poison. It releases toxins in the stomachs of susceptible insects which cause them to stop eating and starve.
Pros:
- Bt strains are very host specific and will not harm people, pets, birds or bees.
Cons:
- Slow acting. It may take days for the insect to completely stop eating and die.
- Breaks down quickly.
- Can kill ‘good insects’ like butterfly larva Breaks down rapidly in sunlight.
- Can be a skin irritant.
Neem Oil
Ingredients: Contains 2 ingredients, azadirachtin (AZA0 and liminoids, both frm the seed kernels of the neem tree fruit.
Application: Sprayed onto plant leaves.
How It Works: Upsets the insects hormonal system and prevents it from developing to its mature stage. Most effective on immature insects and species that undergo complete metamorphosis.
Pros:
- Non-toxic to humans
Cons:
- Washes away in rain.
- Slow acting.
- Breaks down in sunlight.
- Has tendency to burn lite foliage.
Horticulture Oil
Ingredients: Highly refined petroleum oil.
Application: Mixed with water and sprayed onto foliage.
How It Works: Coats and suffocates insects or disrupts their feeding.
Pros:
- Low toxicity to humans, pets or birds . No toxic residue.
Cons:
- Most effective against soft bodied insects.
- Can cause bluish evergreens to temporarily lose their blue tint.
- Can burn leaves.
Precautions: There are several grades. Be sure to use the one that is right for the season in which you are spraying.
Pyrethrins
Ingredients: Derived from Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium.
Application: Generally found in powder form and dusted on leaves.
How It Works: Poisons the insect, causing a quick death.
Pros:
- Quick acting. Low toxicity to animals.
- Degrades within a day.
Cons:
- Broad spectrum insecticide. Kills any insect. Very toxic to honeybees.
Precautions: Use cautiously, only when you have a major problem with hard-to-kill insects.
Sabadilla
Ingredients: Ground seeds of the sabadilla lily.
Application: Comes as a fine powder and used as a spray.
How It Works: Acts as a stomach poison.
Pros:
- Very effective against the true bugs (members of the Hemiptera order).
Cons:
- Highly toxic to bees.
- Very irritating to the mucus membranes of mammals.
Precautions: Use as a last resort.
Rotenone
Ingredients: Derived from the roots of tropical legumes.
Application: Dust onto plant.
How It Works: Inhibits a cellular process, depriving insects of oxygen in their tissue cells.
Pros:
- Low residual effect.
- Breaks down quickly in sunlight.
Cons:
- Broad spectrum pesticide.
Precautions: Apply in the evening, when bees are less active.
Live Pest Control
LadyBug(Coccinellidae)
Ladybugs(Coccinellidae):
LadyBugUpClose
Ladybugs are small insects(beetles) that munch on aphids, white flies, spider mites and other scale insects. Ladybugs are generally considered
beneficial to gardeners. They feed year round on small insects like white flies and spider mites.
Praying Mantis(Mantodea):
Mantises are exclusively carnivore predatory Insects and are only seasonal. Mantises eat all kinds of insects, which can be good and bad. They are great for pest control when you have a lot of unwanted insects in and around your garden, but they will eat the beneficial insects too, so you might not want to encourage praying mantises in your garden. The best use for mantises would be when they are very young. The young mantises feast on small insects like white flies and spider mites.
Praying Mantis(Mantodea)
