Chemical Insecticides for Moths

We’ve all done it – batted away those annoying insects and muttered all kinds of things when despite all the screens in the world, the buggers make their way into our homes.

It can seem like getting rid of them is a never-ending job.  It is, in fact, a constant battle.  We’ve tried all sorts of things to keep them out from the aforementioned screens to sealing every single crack we can find to maintaining garbage control.  Yet, they still seem to break through.

Enter insecticides.

Unlike pesticides which are used against any sort of pest, be it plant or animal, insecticides specifically target insects.

Now we come to the organic vs chemical insecticides.

Insecticide use has been around for thousands of years.  The first forms of insecticides were natural substances derived from plants including the tung oil plant, turnip flower and chrysanthemums.

The first known use of chemical insecticides occurred centuries ago when sulfur dusting was used to protect against mites.  By the time the 1400’s rolled around, arsenic and mercury were being used for insecticides.

Until the 1950’s, arsenic-based products dominated the market being replaced by chlorinated organic compounds like DDT which was then replaced in the1970’s by organophosphates and carbamates.  Negative environmental and health effects led to the development of synthetic pyrethroids derived from chrysanthemums and designed to mimic the insecticidal activity of the organic compound pyrethrum.  Still used today it is found in common bug sprays. 

Unfortunately synthetic pyrethroids pose health risks and have been implicated in the onset of Parkinson’s and certain types of cancers.  In addition they are associated with environmental risks.

What can you do if you don’t want to go the chemical route?

Natural substances that have been used to control some species of insects include garlic, wormwood and rhubarb.  Neem oil combined with castile soap has been found to be quite effective.  Nicotine, elder, thyme, sage and onion are all items which can be used as an alternative to might avoid an moth infestation as well.  

The good part is that these are all readily available.

P.S. I may not recommend that your remedies be as simple as those natural solutions list above -- as i know it's a combination of things that works best over time, but i am simply sharing some quick facts here.  For more detailed information on getting rid of moths, please visit my website and download our books.