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Pesticides contain an enormous group of chemicals that are designed to kill unwanted insects, rodents and fungi.
While they always manage to do their job, so to speak, it is often at the cost of a pyrrhic battle victory, meaning at a devastating loss to fish, flora, fauna, eco-systems and human health.
They all contain some level of toxicity, which can vary by product and means of exposure.
Even products with low degrees of harmful elements applied in meticulously measured concentrations can pass through rain and permeate healthy soil, causing pollution and atmospheric imbalance.
The need for other healthier alternatives such as our Pestco Products Natural Insect Defense Spray, can be no better illustrated than the fact that children are more vulnerable to pesticide exposure than adults.
They are still growing and developing vital organs and immune systems, and exposure during this vulnerable stage of life can cause permanent damage.
They are also less able to excrete pesticides and are more likely to sustain greater exposure than adults. This is because skin is the conductor, and kids have more skin surface for their size than adults.
Their behavior outdoors also increases their risk of exposure.
A Few Relevant Statistics
Every phase of pesticide production, from manufacture to transport and application, affects climate change due to the three greenhouse gases they emit; namely, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.
According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Science Team, over a billion pounds of pesticide are used every year in the United States, 90% of which is used in farming.
Nearly 70% of the produce sold in the US has pesticide residues and their consumption causes the accumulation of toxic chemicals in the body, which can have serious consequences ranging from allergies to long term damage to human nervous systems, cancer, reproductive issues and the disruption of the immune system.
Human health remains at risk the longer that pesticide use and climate change interact.
Botanicals As Natural Pest Repellents
There is a dire need for sustainability and botanical repellents, which are also known as natural insecticides.
They offer a safer, more eco-conscious solution. The body of scientific literature containing the use of botanicals increases with each passing day.
Naturally occurring chemicals are extracted or derived from plants and minerals that contain substances that are toxic to insects, particularly fleas and mosquitoes.
The list includes but is not limited to:citronella; eucalyptus; rosemary; peppermint and thyme.
Generally, they act and degrade rapidly with low rates of toxicity. Within the realm of agricultural pest management, botanical pesticides play an important part in organic food production and post-harvest protection of food in both industrial and developing nations.
While botanical repellents have fewer side effects and break down more quickly in the environment than synthetic chemicals, they are still toxic, and like all pesticides sold or distributed within the United States, they must be registered for use by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).
While some argue that botanicals are not as effective as more toxic elements in their killing power, the Natural Products Association asserts that there is a variation in all insect repellents in this respect, both natural and synthetic.
Our Pestco Products Insect Repellent Shield
Our new Insect Repellent Shield developed by our teams is a one gallon-sized, superior insecticide that has been created for professional use in well ventilated spaces.
Developed in state-of-the-art-laboratories by its highly trained technical staff in tandem with the fragrance experts at Alpha Aromatics, this is a pesticide to reckon with that is 100% natural.
It features among its many powerful ingredients botanical chemicals that contain rosemary, peppermint and thyme. More on each follows below.
Peppermint
Peppermint oil has been used for many decades as a potent insecticide. Its efficacy has been confirmed by numerous reliable studies, and its success in this regard is due to its primary active ingredient, menthol.
This substance contains deleterious properties that destroy mites, mosquito larvae and other insects.
When applied via spray around entry points in the home and sachets placed near doors and windows or diffusers, it can help repel ticks, spiders, roaches, moths, flies, fleas, beetles and ants.
Generally speaking, soft bodied insects are most vulnerable to insecticides containing peppermint, which are much kinder to our already endangered eco-system.
Rosemary
While this herb holds a very special place in the culinary world, when used as an insect repellent it is equally loved and appreciated.
According to Diane Cox from The Gardening Talk, rosemary’s essential oil embodies commanding substances such as: cineole; camphor and limonene, which are well known for their power to repel slugs, beetles and mosquitos.
Two scientific studies cited in the Malaria Journal for BioMedCentral confirm the effectiveness of this herb in repelling mosquitoes.
It is not without its limitations however, as according to AH David, owner of Pest Control Weekly, “The scent of the plant is most effective when it’s in close proximity. It is better used as localized repellent than as a broad solution.”
Thyme
Pestco’s Insect Repellent also contains thyme, and its powerful natural properties deter flying insects such as:cabbage loopers; mosquitos; no-see-ums; corn earworms; tomato hornworms; maggots and whiteflies.
When used alone, the leaves must be bruised in order for the chemical to be released.
As an ingredient in an insecticide, thyme essential oil is an effective botanical that will not harm the planet or adversely affect human health.
This fact is further enforced by the results of a 2019 Brazilian study published in Industrial Crops and Products that thoroughly examined thymol, which is the active ingredient in the essential oil, and its range of antioxidant, antimicrobial and insecticidal properties.
In Conclusion
If you’re anywhere throughout the United States and finding certain creepy crawlers invading your home or business, check out our all-in-one Bug Insect Repellent spray on Amazon! And if you’re anywhere throughout the Great Pittsburgh area, give our teams a call! We’re always here to help!