Insect / Pest Problem - Diatomaceous Earth

[HippyInEngland]

What is Diatomaceous Earth?

Diatomaceous earth is a remarkable, all-natural product made from tiny fossilized water plants. Diatomaceous Earth is a naturally occurring siliceous sedimentary mineral compound from microscopic skeletal remains of unicellular algae-like plants called diatoms. These plants have been part of the earth's ecology since prehistoric times. 30 million years ago the diatoms built up into deep, chalky deposits of diatomite. The diatoms are mined and ground up to render a powder that looks and feels like talcum powder to us. It is a mineral based pesticide. DE is approximately 3% magnesium, 33% silicon, 19% calcium, 5% sodium, 2% iron and many other trace minerals such as titanium, boron, manganese, copper and zirconium. Diatomaceous Earth is a natural (not calcified or flux calcified) compound. Diatomaceous Earth is a natural grade diatomite. However, the continual breathing of any dust should he absolutely avoided.


This DE is not the same thing as the DE used in swimming pool filters. Pool grade DE is Diatomaceous Earth produced for pool filters and it is treated with heat, causing the formerly amorphous silicon dioxide to assume crystalline form. Pool grade DE should never be used for pest control. Swimming pool DE ranges from 60% to 70% free silica!

How does it work?

To insects DE is a lethal dust with microscopic razor sharp edges. These sharp edges cut through the insect's protective covering drying it out and killing them when they are either dusted with DE or if it applied as a wettable powder spray. If they ingest the DE it will shred their insides.

Comes with complete instructions for use on insects, flea and lice control, bed bugs, grain storage, parasite control in animals (use in feed) and fly control.

What insects can DE be used for?

Diatomaceous Earth may be used as a barrier to control adult flea beetles, sawfly, coddling moth, twig borer, thrips, mites, cockroach, slugs, snails and many other insects such as:
Aphids, thrips, earwigs, silverfish, and ants. Can be used for bedbugs, cabbage root flies, carrot root flies, fleas, pillbugs, ticks and is helpful in dealing with fungus gnats. Indoor and Outdoor Application: Sprinkle a light layer of DE in areas where pests frequent, including under stoves, cabinets, sinks, garbage cans, window and door frames and sills,
entrance ways, sewer pipes and drains, and in cracks and crevices. Repeat treatment as needed.
Carpet Beetles: Thoroughly dust along baseboards, carpet edges, under furniture, carpet, and rugs, and in closets and shelving.
Bedbugs: Take apart bed and dust joints and channels. Dust any hollow tubing and the interior framework as well as the mattress and all cracks in the room.
Fleas: Thoroughly dust carpets and pet's bedding and sleeping areas, as well as cracks and baseboards. It also can be rubbed into your pet's fur.
Flies: Thoroughly dust areas where flies frequent (walls, straw bedding, livestock pens). It also can be applied to livestock coat as an insect repellent/contact insecticide.
Fly Larva: Keeps fly larvae from developing in manure, which makes a significant reduction in the fly population.
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Are there any safety concerns with DE?

Yes, you must wear a dust mask when applying it as it can irritate the mucous membranes in the nose and mouth. Once the DE dust has settled it won't bother you.

eace:

 

[MindzEye]

Hey HIE, Ive never used this stuff only sand, Im just wondering, if it has 19% calcium and 5% sodium, does it mess with the PH of your soil?

 

[Hick]

Hey HIE, Ive never used this stuff only sand, Im just wondering, if it has 19% calcium and 5% sodium, does it mess with the PH of your soil?

I have a pretty high CA content in my well water. On occasion when I used it, that high content has caused lockout issues. What "I" did as a 'work around'... I watered from the bottom, that way I'm not watering the DE into the soil.

 

[LassChance]

I have a pretty high CA content in my well water. On occasion when I used it, that high content has caused lockout issues. What "I" did as a 'work around'... I watered from the bottom, that way I'm not watering the DE into the soil.

I use it for flea control and it's pretty effective. I have four dogs and two cats and buying Frontline for that many animals is pretty costly.
DE is cheap--doesnt hurt the animals if they lick it. One summer I had a flea infestation--carpets were jumping with fleas. I sprinkled the DE all over the carpet and left it for a week, then vacuumed it up and the fleas were gone.

Good stuff.

Lass

 

[Hick]

I use it for flea control and it's pretty effective. I have four dogs and two cats and buying Frontline for that many animals is pretty costly.
DE is cheap--doesnt hurt the animals if they lick it. One summer I had a flea infestation--carpets were jumping with fleas. I sprinkled the DE all over the carpet and left it for a week, then vacuumed it up and the fleas were gone.

Good stuff.

Lass

I just used it on 2 red ant dens last weekend, too. Within 24 hours there wasn't a live ant to be found.. :hubba:

 

[Sir_Tokie]

D.E is the way to go. We use it on everything indoor garden and outdoor garden if there's a bug or flea they will be taken care of by using D.E. As Hick said just water from the bottom on potted plants any bug that works it's way up to the surface is done for, great stuff I swear by it ...take care..

 

[StoneyBud]

I just used it on 2 red ant dens last weekend, too. Within 24 hours there wasn't a live ant to be found.. :hubba:

Well I'll be. I never thought of using it for ants.

I'm going to try it on some fire ants. If it works, that'll be cool as can be!

 

[dirtyolsouth]

Well I'll be. I never thought of using it for ants.

I'm going to try it on some fire ants. If it works, that'll be cool as can be!

DE sounds great but here's some info for you from the "Magical Molasses" thread on MP... there's a blurb on DE at the end of the article...

Good Luck!

Molasses Makes Fire Ants Move Out
By Pat Ploegsma, reprinted from Native Plant Society of Texas News
Summer 1999
Have you ever started planting in your raised beds and found fire ant highrises? Are you tired of being covered with welts after gardening? Put down that blowtorch and check out these excellent organic and non-toxic solutions.
Malcolm Beck1, organic farmer extraordinaire and owner of Garden-Ville Inc., did some experiments that showed that molasses is a good addition to organic fertilizer (more on fertilizer in the next issue). When using molasses in the fertilizer spray for his fruit trees he noticed that the fire ants moved out from under the trees. “I got an opportunity to see if molasses really moved fire ants. In my vineyard, I had a 500 foot row of root stock vines cut back to a stump that needed grafting. The fire ants had made themselves at home along that row. The mounds averaged three feet apart. There was no way a person could work there without being eaten alive! I dissolved 4 tablespoons of molasses in each gallon of water and sprayed along the drip pipe. By the next day the fire ants had moved four feet in each direction. We were able to graft the vines without a single ant bothering us.”
This gave him the idea for developing an organic fire ant killer that is 30% orange oil and 70% liquid compost made from manure and molasses. The orange oil softens and dissolves the ant’s exoskeleton, making them susceptible to attack by the microbes in the compost, while the molasses feeds the microbes and also smothers the ants. After the insects are dead, everything becomes energy-rich soil conditioner and will not harm any plant it touches. It can be used on any insect including mosquitoes and their larvae.
Break a small hole in the crust in the center of the mound then quickly!!! pour the solution into the hole to flood the mound and then drench the ants on top. Large mounds may need a second application. Available at Garden-Ville Square in Stafford, it has a pleasant lemonade smell.
According to Mark Bowen2, local landscaper and Houston habitat gardening expert, fire ants thrive on disturbed land and sunny grassy areas. “Organic matter provides a good habitat for fire ant predators such as beneficial nematodes, fungi, etc. Other conditions favoring fire ant predators include shading the ground with plantings, good soil construction practices and use of plants taller than turfgrasses.” He recommends pouring boiling soapy water over shallow mounds or using AscendTM. “Ascend is a fire ant bait which contains a fungal by-product called avermectin and a corn and soybean-based grit bait to attract fire ants. Ascend works slowly enough to get the queen or queens and it controls ants by sterilizing and/or killing them outright.”
Malcolm Beck also did some experiments with Diatomaceous Earth - DE - (skeletal remains of algae which is ground into an abrasive dust) which confirmed that DE also kills fire ants. He mixes 4 oz. of DE into the top of the mound with lethal results. According to Beck, DE only works during dry weather on dry ant mounds. Pet food kept outdoors will stay ant free if placed on top of a tray with several inches of DE

1Beck, Malcolm. The Garden-Ville Method: Lessons in Nature. Third Edition. San Antonio, TX: Garden-Ville, Inc., 1998.
2Bowen, Mark, with Mary Bowen. Habitat Gardening for Houston and Southeast Texas. Houston, TX: River Bend Publishing Company, 1998.

 

[StoneyBud]

DE sounds great but here's some info for you from the "Magical Molasses" thread on MP...


Molasses Makes Fire Ants Move Out

He mixes 4 oz. of DE into the top of the mound with lethal results.

Thanks for the information, DS.