Biological insecticides
What is an organic insecticide?
Insecticides are products intended to protect plants from harmful parasites such as lice, bedbugs, spiders, cockroaches ... An insecticide is defined as organic or natural when it has been developed with respect for the environment and when it is composed of non-active ingredients. chemicals derived from some plants with recognized insecticidal virtues.
Natural insecticides act immediately on parasites, by contact or ingestion, but evaporate rather quickly and must be reapplied every two or three days.
What are the plants with insecticidal action?
The pyrethrum
The Dalmatian pyrethrum (scientific name: tanacetum cinerariifolium) is a plant that grows mainly in southwestern Africa, Madagascar and in the warm regions of Australia. The flowers of this plant produce pyrethrin, a substance that attacks the nervous system of insects such as mites, lice, caterpillars, beetles, flies ... On the market, pyrethrin comes in the form of a liquid or powder from mix with limescale-free water or rainwater and spray on plants.
Although it is not dangerous for humans, pyrethrin is still a neurotoxic substance that pollutes the phreatic tassels and kills fish, so you will need to use it with caution and strictly comply with the indicated doses.
The neem
Neem is a substance extracted from Azadirachta Indica, a tree of the Meliacee family whose seeds have been reputed for centuries for their insecticidal and fungicidal virtues. It grows mainly in Africa, South Asia, the tropical regions of Mexico and Argentina. Neem allows you to fight against midges, bedbugs, different types of flies and red spiders. This insecticide is already widely used in Europe and should soon spread to Italy as well.
How to prepare a natural insecticide?
Not all insects are harmful to plants: ladybugs, for example, are even indispensable to the balance of nature and should not be exterminated. But don't worry, getting an insecticide to attack only pests is possible! In this sense, the concentration of the active ingredients and the ingredients used are crucial.
The do-it-yourself recipes *
- Lanicotin will be effective against lice, caterpillars, earthen fleas ...
Macerate the contents of a packet of pipe tobacco in 10 liters of rainwater for 10 days (put the tobacco in nylon tights). Filter everything well and dilute 2.5 l of the liquid obtained in another 10 l of water. Add 100g of black soap, mix well and sprinkle everything on the plants.
- Flammable alcohol will help you fight against spiders, caterpillars and lice.
Pour 200 grams of black soap diluted in warm water in 10 liters of rain or spring water, add 50 cl of flammable alcohol and 8 grams of sea salt. Mix well before applying.
- The black soap will be useful to you against spiders and lice, which will remain prisoners and suffocate.
In a bowl, mix 200 grams of black soap with 2 liters of warm water. When the soap is well dissolved, add 8 liters of cold water, mix vigorously and spray this liquid on the plants.
An alternative to insecticides: repellents
Instead of exterminating insects, you can keep them away with a repellent, in this case it is the smell of plants that repels insects. We offer you some recipes here, but know that there are many other plants that can be used as a repellent.
In the garden:
Mix a clove of garlic and leave it to macerate in oil for 24 hours. Dilute everything in a liter of water and add a few drops of organic soap. Mix well and spray on the plants. This repellent is perfect against all insects and is also an effective fungicide against rust and powdery mildew (bad white).
In home:
- Against moths
Preferably use camphor or cedar wood instead of mothballs, which are harmful to health. Put the wood in a linen bag, the smell will keep moths and flies away.
- Against mosquitoes
Use lavender, lemongrass or clove essence, which you can apply directly to your skin (in small doses, otherwise you risk getting burned!) Or spray in the direction of doors and windows.
To know more…
Organic insecticides must not contain chemicals, however some insecticides for domestic use do not hesitate to define themselves as “natural” without having been tested by Ecocert, a control and certification body in organic farming. Know that this body reviews only the products of which there is an external version.
To achieve greater clarity, the European Union has established the Reach program, which tests the components present in the various products on the skin and respiratory tract, in order to identify any allergenic active ingredients before the product is put on the market. In fact, even a natural product can create allergic reactions.
It is best to use insecticides late at night or early in the morning, and if you have to spray them indoors, don't forget to air the room well. Avoid spraying an insecticide if there is a lot of wind. Keep your insecticides away from air and light and above all out of the reach of children.
