How to Use Diatomaceous Earth safely for Pest Control

Diatomaceous Earth has been used in our food supply for years as an anti-caking and drying agent as well as a non-toxic method of insect pest control. The safety of food grade DE is a known fact and it can be use to safely control pests around the home, on pets, and in the home garden.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Food grade Diatomaceous Earth
• Garden Duster
• Garden Sprayer
• Dust mask

1. Learn what diatomaceous earth is and about the different types before buying diatomaceous earth for pest control. Diatomaceous Earth is mined here in the United States and elsewhere around the globe, making it a naturally occurring material. It is formed from the remains of microscopic organisms that lived in the water and had hard outer silica shells like glass. Over the eons these shells built up into the layers that are mined today. The form, Diatomite has a silica structure like sharp glass shards. This crystalline silica form of DE, which is produces from high heating, is a known carcinogen and can cause the lung disease silicosis. The fresh water deposits contain Amorphous silica that is a safe form of DE depending on any contaminanta it may contain. Be sure to ask for and use "food grade" DE which is made of amorphous silica, for all home pest control methods. This is not the type used for swimming pool filters so don't get the two confused. When checking for where to buy diatomaceous earth, many farm supply stores carry it now and there are lots of online sites that sell it. Check around for the best prices as they vary widely. Under resources below there are links to other articles about controlling insect pest.

2. Know what DE will kill and won't kill and how it works. When considering DE as a pest control product, it can be safely used around all types of animals and is only deadly for pests like insects. It is not harmful to earthworms. Among the list of pests that it kills and repels are: ants, termites, slugs, snails, fleas, fly maggots, aphids. bed bugs, mites, ticks, roaches, earwigs, scorpions, cutworms, ear worms, lawn grubs, grass hoppers, and many more. It does not kill due to a chemical action like most toxic poisons but rather kills by the structure of its sharp microscopic edges. The hard bodies of the pests are sliced open by the material and it literally drys them out and they die. Complete insect control may take several days as the insects die off, but whereas chemical poisons act fast and have a short residual effect, diatomaceous earth, while working slower will remain active and nontoxic as long as it remains in the environment.

3. Apply diatomaceous as a dust to control pests. It can be used in the garden right up to the day of harvest and treated plant residues can be fed to livestock safely. Just be sure to wear a dust mask if doing a large job, to prevent any possible irritation. Dust plants after they are wet from a heavy dew, rain, or irrigation to insure the product sticks to the surfaces. Use it to pretreat seed beds and seeds to keep them from being attacked by bugs. It will also enrich the soil and will increase the soil's water holding ability. Dust or sprinkle the dry powder around the house and where the pets sleep to control fleas, roaches, silverfish, and ants. Figure on using 1/2 lb. for every 1000 sq. feet of area. The dry powder can also be used on livestock to kill and repel external parasites. Rub a handful into the dogs and cats coats every couple of weeks and put it out where chickens like to take dust baths to control mites. Sprinkle it in the hen's nest boxes and on their roosts. Fill dust bags with it for cattle to rub on and sprinkle it on manure piles to kill fly maggots and control odors. Sprinkled over the lawn it will control grubs, cinch bugs, grass hoppers, and control ants. Be aware though it will also kill beneficial insects, so don't use it on blooming flowers to keep from killing pollinators such as bees.

4. The next way to use DE is as a sprayable mixture. This is the best way to treat large areas such as a lawn and can be used to reach high areas such as up in trees to kill caterpillars and to put a protective coating on fruit. Mix 1/4 to 1/2 cup of DE in a gallon of water with a teaspoon of liquid soap, and spray it out on the lawn or plants. With this method there is no problem with dust drifting or being breathed in, and once the DE dries it will be active. Mix up a thicker soup to paint on tree trunks for the control of borers and bark hiding insects. Be sure to keep the spray mixture agitated as the powder will tend to settle out and if too much powder is in the mix the sprayer may get clogged. This is a great way to treat for aphids and will really kill them fast. Reapply after every good rain.

5. Another use for Diatomaceous Earth is for the control of internal parasites such as round worms, tape worms, cecal worms and flukes. DE will not control heartworms. It is considered safe for the digestive system and many people even use it as a dietary supplement because of other minerals it contains such as iron. For dogs and cats simply add it to their food at the rate of 1 teaspoon daily for large dogs and 1/2 teaspoon daily for small dogs and cats. There are even pet foods on the market that already have DE added to them such as Muenster Natural. For livestock such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, it is added to dry feed at a rate of 2 lbs. to every 100 lbs. of feed. This will keep bugs out of the feed as well as parasites out of the animals. For poultry mix it in their feed or add it to their water at the rate of 1/2 cup per five gallons of water. When first starting the animals on the treatment, treat them daily for 60 days to prevent reinfestations from parasite eggs or larvae already in their environment. After that cut back to once weekly, but the daily dose won't hurt. Besides killing parasites feeding DE will stop the breeding of flies in the livestock's manure and is said to increase weight gain and egg production.

6. Finally use DE in the house to kill pests and repel insects. Sprinkle it around basements and baseboards where insect pests hide and creep. Dust bed frames, under furniture cushions and in carpeting to kill bed bugs and fleas. Dust areas where bugs enter the house such as around incoming pipes, doorways, and window frames. Use it around and under sinks, refrigerators, pet beds, and in the pantry. Don't forget the attic and crawl spaces as a defense against ants and termites. Here is a list of products that often contain DE and may already be in most houses: Toothpaste, Baking Mixes, Shoe polish, Cosmetics, Body powders, Baked goods, Cat litter, Water filters, Metal polishes, Soaps, Potting soil conditioners, Hand cleaners, and Beers and Wines are filtered through it.
   Below under resources there are links to other pest control articles. Please rate this article and any others you check out, thank you.
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Tips & Warnings

• Remember that food grade DE is the only type that is safe for home pest control, not the type used in swimming pool filters.

• DE is a drying agent and just as it will dry out insects, it will dry out your skin, so remember to use gloves or wash and use lotions after handling it.

• DE will seriously irritate the eyes so be careful not to get it in yours.

• Always use a dust mask when there is a danger of breathing in DE as it will irritate the mouth and lungs like any fine dust.