Rainy River..

Natural insecticide has gone in and out of favor in the past.  At first, of course, that was all there was.  Then, when chemical insecticides came around, people saw them as the wave of the future.  They were all too anxious to try them.  However, it may be that natural insecticide still has a place in agriculture and homes now and in the future. 

Bacillus thurengiensis, Bt, has been developed as for use as a natural insecticide.  It is made from a bacterium that works with the bacteria in an insects gut to poison the insect.  It will need to be used in new ways. 

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Natural insecticide has long been lauded by environmental groups as a safe alternative to synthetics.  They kill a variety of pests found in gardens, yards, and homes.  However, there are problems with natural insecticide. 

Although natural insecticide has been around longer, there is less information on the efficacy of it as opposed to synthetic insecticide.  The most information of all of them can be found on Bt and on oils.  One problem with Bt is that it is only effective against a limited variety of insects.  It makes a good natural insecticide for crops such as corn, but for some other crops, it is useless.  Another problem with Bt is that insects become resistant to it over time. 

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A natural insecticide is the safest kind you can use.  The half-life, or the amount of time the substance stays active in the environment, is much shorter than for synthetic chemicals.  However, there are some precautions you should take to use natural insecticide safely. 

One use of natural insecticide is for keeping chiggers off of humans.  Oil of pennyroyal or mountain mint can be rubbed on as a preventative.  If you are pregnant, though, you will not want to be in contact with these substances.  They can cause you to start having contractions.  Sabadillia is a natural insecticide that is a stomach poison for insects.  It is not toxic to humans.  It does cause irritation to the eyes and to the lungs.  If you put it on your garden, be sure to wear a mask.  You should also wear a mask when using another natural insecticide, Diatomaceous Earth. 

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Having bugs in your home is just plain disgusting.  When you do, your first thought is often to run to the store and get the most powerful chemicals they have available to get rid of the pests.  You actually don’t have to go so far.  There is natural insecticide you can use in your home. 

You can use natural insecticide recipes that will be much safer for your family and your pets.  For example, you can use boric acid as a safe alternative in many cases.  For ants, you can mix the boric acid with sugar; then add water.  Next, you soak cotton balls in it and put them in bottle caps.  Place them where ants have been seen.  Boric powder has often been called “roach powder.”  Get a squeeze bottle of it, or make up your own.  Squirt the stuff along floor boards and behind appliances.  Put it anywhere you have seen roaches coming from.  It is a great natural insecticide for roaches. 

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