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.

Natural Alternatives To Moth Balls

With the growing concern about the chemicals in mothballs and in a bid to create a less toxic product, camphor is sometimes used as the primary ingredient. Camphor comes from the camphor tree, native to Asia.  It was introduced into North America in the late 1800’s.  Camphor is used in Asia to treat a number of medical conditions such as headaches and digestive disorders.  However, in large doses, it is known to be poisonous – not such an attractive quality.  Synthetic camphor may be derived from the essence of turpentine.

Although touted as a safer alternative to traditional chemicals in mothball production - naphthalene and dichlorobenzene – camphor comes with its own set of health risks including the potential to cause hormone imbalances, seizures, confusion and hyperactivity.  In a high enough dose it can be lethal. 

Despite the ‘safer’ edge of camphor, it is obviously far from ideal.

So what can you do?  At Rid Moths Naturally we have taken great strides in researching and testing the answer to this.  Here are just a couple of examples of the tips we have to get rid of moths.

There are some environmentally friendly alternatives.  An additional benefit to these alternatives is that they do not have the traditional unpleasant odor of mothballs.  Instead, the fragrances are much more pleasing. 

            Here’s an easy recipe for a repellant spray.  Mix the following:

¨       ¼ cup of Neem oil

¨       ½ gallon of water

¨       Dab of liquid castile soap

Spray inside your closets, drawers or other storage areas.

Various natural herbs that can also be used to repel moths.  Lavender leaves and oil, mint leaves, cedar wood chips, rosemary, bay leaves, cloves and thyme are all effective. 

It’s quite easy to mix some of these ingredients together and place them into a small sachet.

            The following mix has proven to be effective.

¨       2 ounces of dried rosemary and mint

¨       1 ounce of dried thyme and ginseng

¨       8 ounces of whole cloves

In conclusion, despite the easy temptation to just open up a box of mothballs and toss a few in the closet, think twice and try a safe alternative instead.

Chemical Insecticides Are Not The Answer

With a Moth Infestation many people will affirm that the answer is to disinfect every corner of your home and sanitize every inch of your kitchen.  

Others will hand you their exterminator’s business card and urge you to make the call immediately.  The exterminator was helpful to your friends or colleagues and they got rid of their moths with great speed never to return again.  PERFECT!  Problem solved right?  

Well, not exactly. Yes, the exterminator will come right away, but they’ll be bringing a slew of harsh chemicals that you know nothing about along with them and in turn you WILL be putting your health at great risk.

If you have children it's worse as well!

So, avoid the exterminators YES.  But that's not all you need to avoid.  Over the counter, store bought moth removal kits are also full of harsh chemicals.  

Even if you try the less invasive pheromone traps everyone talks about these days they have chemicals too.  The problem with these is that they will only attract a few of the moths running a muck in your home, and won’t rid the entire house of moths.  They also don't kill the larvae and eggs either.

The truth is that none of thoee methods really works.  Chemical exposure for long periods of time can cause you and your family a number of health problems.  These will definitely be much worse than having to deal with a moth invasion.  The toxins of those insecticides can provoke anything from birth defects to respiratory problems.  And while they may kill the moths for now, the problem will return a few months later. 

Please consider natural moth removal instead.  It's just as effective, if not more so and far better for everyone involved.