How Does Pesticide Work?

What Are Pesticides?

Pesticides are herbicides, fungicides, insecticides or any other substances or mixture of substances that are applied for the purpose of controlling, destroying, repelling and preventing various pests from destroying foods and plants. Pests are organisms that appear on many crops, animals and even humans, and cause damage or destruction. Some examples of various pests include various insects, slugs, snails, plant diseases, weeds, mice and other vermin that carry disease as well as various viruses and bacteria, fungi and prions. There are also many household products that are considered to be pesticides or contain dangerous pesticide chemicals. Some examples include mold and mildew products, household insect repellents, cockroach sprays, rodent poisons, pet collars, flea and tick sprays and powders, various laundry products, kitchen and bathroom disinfectants/sanitizers, lawn and garden goods and products as well as several swimming pool substances.

How Does Pesticide Work?

Pesticides are various chemicals used to defray pests, unwanted plant diseases or fungi. Some pesticides require direct contact for pests to be destroyed or repelled away, and some require ingestion of the pesticide for the pesticide to work effectively. Some believe that in order to defeat all pests and not just a few; the pesticide may need to be set as bait as opposed to being used as a spray. Introducing pesticides as bait is also believed to be less pricey and much more efficient. Insecticides are one of the various forms of pesticides, and it is frequently confused with the term pesticide. Insecticides also require either direct contact with pests or either ingestion of the insecticide to successfully kill the pest. Insecticides are referred to as "systemic" chemicals and can also be either absorbed, fed or injected into plants or animals for defense against various pests. When the insect or pests attempt to feed off of the insecticide-injected plant or animal, the pests ingest the chemical and are destroyed.

Are Pesticides Dangerous to Humans and Animals?

There are presently more than 865 recorded pesticides according to the Environmental Protection Agency. However, fewer than half of the pesticides are employed for the protection of the United States food supply. Pesticides are man-made and are regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This particular agency determines how much of these pesticides can be deposited on crops as well as how much of the pesticides lingers on the foods being bought by consumers. Due to the nature of pesticides, there are, of course, some damaging risks involved considering that pesticides are chemically based and are intended for the purpose of killing and/or poisoning. Therefore, there are some pesticides that can be extremely toxic. Pesticides containing nicotine are one example. Pesticides can be harmful not only to intended insects and pests, but also to humans, animals and the environment simply because they are designed with the intention to adversely affect live organisms. Today, there are bio-pesticides or biologically-based pesticides that are progressively becoming more popular and are considered to be safer than the customary chemical pesticides.

Resources

• What Is a Pesticide?
• Types of Pesticides
• Pesticides