A Natural Repellent That Attacks The Nerve Systems Of Insects
December 10th, 2008Pyrethrum is one of the more slightly toxic natural
insecticides that exist in our world. It comes from a set of
flowers that are in the family of chrysanthemum.
These flowers have deep leaves and large flower heads that
are yellow, pink and white. Most of these plants have a daisy
like look. Some look like ferns. The plant is native to Ecuador
and parts of Africa like Kenya. Pyrethrum plants are also
considered to be Old World Plants. Butterflies, moths and
skippers love to eat these plants.
At very low concentrations, insects are affected by
pyrethrum. They immediately get knocked out as they fly into a
pyrethrum zone area. The insects don’t die. After their knock
down phase, they leave the area avoiding further contact with
the pyrethrum. For stronger concentration, the flowers are
pulverized and the seeds are extracted to be used for pesticide
application. Pyrethrums are a natural insecticide that attacks
the nerve systems of insects. In addition to butterflies,
skippers and moths; mosquitoes are also affected. Female
mosquitoes specifically are susceptible. The natural
insecticide causes them to stop biting. For all of us that get
bitten all the time by those pesky mosquitoes, that’s good news
to hear.
By itself, pyrethrum is not fatal to the winged insects.
But, because of the fast affect it has in knocking the insects
down, it is a useful tool to flush them out. After they are
knocked out, they will scatter and evade the place that is
pyrethrum sprayed. This is useful because the insects will be
clearly identified if they are hiding in the grass and shrubs,
etc. At that point, the appropriate pesticide can be used to
destroy the insects. Sometimes Pyrethrums are mixed with other
chemicals to be used as a more fatal intervention against
insects. In this case, the insects will die in almost an
instant. I was going to call this article, Pyrethrums, the
Queen of Natural Insecticides.
Gardeners have learned that if they plant Pyrethrum flowers
in their vegetable garden, like broccoli, the Pyrethrum flowers
will protect the broccoli plants. In addition to winged
insects, other pests are affected by pyrethrum plants.
Specifically affected are aphids, which are also known as plant
lice. Leafhoppers, spider mites, harlequin bugs, ticks, pickle
worms and cabbage worms among other insects, are also affected.
These bugs are also temporarily paralyzed and not
instantaneously killed. I remember being around peers in
elementary school with head lice. It was not a comfortable
experience. I feel for gardeners that have to deal with what
they call plant lice. Luckily, pyrethrum is a natural
insecticide that can help them fend off plant lice.
Pyrethrum with other chemicals can be used as a household
spray or by airplanes for crop sprays or dusting. Pyrethrums
are a natural insecticide that is least toxic to humans. They
can be harmful to fish but not mammals and birds. The EPA
(Environmental Protection Agency) has approved it for many
other uses in addition to insecticide. Pyrethrum as a natural
insecticide can be found in products like Pyrenon, Red Arrow
and Pyrellin.
