When bugs start invading, you need a quick and effective solution for protecting your home. One of the best ways to eliminate a pest infestation is to use natural, plant-based insecticides like Maggie’s Farm Simply Effective Pest Control products. These products are formulated with ingredients found in nature and are an effective pest control solution. We’re breaking down plant-based insecticides and the advantages of using them.
Using Essential Oils in Pesticides
Before diving into the benefits of plant-based insecticides, it’s important to understand how these products are formulated. These insecticides contain natural plant essential oils. Plants have a built-in defense mechanism against harmful pests—their fragrance. When oils are extracted from plants, this repellency remains in the oil.
When these oils are correctly combined, the result is a natural and effective pest control solution. Lemongrass, mint, clove, basil, lavender, and sage oil are all helpful in deterring pest activity. It’s important to remember that true essential oils aren’t extracted through a chemical process. Steam distillation and cold press extraction are the most popular methods for extracting true essential oils.
Which Essential Oils Are Used in Insecticides?
Many natural plant oils can help to control and prevent pest problems. Here are a few of the oils you can find in our products.
- Cinnamon Oil: Silverfish and other creepy crawlies prefer to avoid cinnamon oil. This oil is known to disrupt ant neuroreceptors, making it difficult for them to communicate.
- Lemongrass Oil: This oil will help to repel mosquitoes, moths, fleas, fruit flies, and other pests.
- Peppermint Oil: Spiders, fleas, cockroaches, ants, and flies hate peppermint oil.
- Rosemary Oil: It’s an effective solution against pests including flies, mosquitoes, and ants.
Click here for a list of essential oils used in Maggie’s Farm products.
Benefits of Using Plant-Based Insecticides
Insecticides containing essential oils are great for fighting pest-problems, but they also have many other benefits. Check out a few of the advantages of using natural, plant-based insecticides.
Quick Kill & Residual Repellency
Essential oils may be natural, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t potent. Plant-based insecticides provide two layers of protection. Not only do they kill on contact quickly, but they also provide residual repellency. This means using these products will provide protection for an extended period of time, up to several weeks. The initial spray will kill any insects directly sprayed. The remaining residue will create a protective barrier. Insects that come near the treated area will be repelled by the plant essential oil vapors.
Family-Friendly Pest Control
Though plant-based insecticides provide residual repellency, these residues are not harmful to humans and pets. Plant essential oils have low toxicity compared to synthetic chemicals. Though they are potent for bugs, you won’t have to worry about coming in contact with them. Many of Maggie’s Farm Simply Effective Pest Control products are actually classified minimum risk by the EPA because they pose little or no threat to humans or the environment. When used as directed they are a more family-friendly option to use around your children and pets.
It’s important to keep in mind that some pets, just like humans, may not like the fragrance of some plant oils, and may stay away from areas treated until the fragrance dissipates. Don’t directly spray your pets with plant-oil-based products that aren’t labeled for on-animal applications, and avoid applying them to areas where pets frequent, like on or around pet bedding.
Environmentally-Friendly Pest Control
Since plant-based insecticides don’t leave behind harmful residues, they are more environmentally friendly. The ingredients used in these insecticides are found in nature and won’t pollute the environment. They won’t linger in the environment like synthetic chemicals. This means products can be reapplied as needed when long-term protection is desired. Though these products shouldn’t be applied directly to water, they can be used near water sources because they have a lower toxicity for fish and will break down within 48 hours.
Minimal Risk to Beneficial Insects
Typically, insects hanging around isn’t a good thing. However, there are some insects, like bees, that are helpful. Insects that help with pollination or decomposition are an important part of the environment. These insects are considered beneficial and shouldn’t be harmed. While plant-based pesticides provide residual repellency, the residues won’t kill insects. As long as you don’t spray bees or other beneficial insects directly, they will remain unharmed and able to help the environment.
Natural Fragrance
Another advantage of using pesticides with essential oils is their fragrance. People add herbs to their recipes for flavor and their aromatic properties. Many essential oils used in plant-based insecticides, like thyme, cinnamon, and peppermint oil, come from the same plants used in our favorite dishes. Their pleasant scent is natural and won’t leave you with an artificial chemical scent. Though you may enjoy the scent, bugs definitely won’t. This is perfect for keeping your home and yard pest-free.
Plant-Based insecticides are a great natural solution to treat your bug problems. Not only do the plant essential oils effectively eliminate an infestation, they are also more environmentally and family-friendly. If bugs are giving you a fit, we want to help! Check out our Maggie’s Farm Simply Effective Pest Control products.