Natural Mosquito Pesticides: Home Remedies

Home remedies can be effective mosquito pesticides.

Most people consider mosquitoes a nuisance. They are also a serious problem due to the diseases they may carry and transmit. Synthetic pesticides are available for mosquitoes, yet some people have aversions to using man-made chemicals for pest control. Several home remedies are available to deter or kill mosquitoes that use only natural ingredients.

Pennyroyal

The pennyroyal plant has been used for thousands of years as a general insect repellent, especially for insects that bite. As early as the 1st century A.D. Romans used this plant as a deterrent to fleas (it was known to them as "fleabane"), yet its effectiveness in mosquito pesticides is also historically acknowledged. (It is also known as "mosquito plant.") Pulegone is the naturally active element of pennyroyal that seems to repel mosquitoes, which explains why it is a common ingredient used in insect repellent collars for pets. The plant emits a strong aroma that acts as an atmospheric deterrent to mosquitoes, and the leaves can either be rubbed directly on the skin or can be crushed and mixed with skin creams and lotions and applied in this manner.

Bacillus Thuringiensis

A variety of Bacillus thuringiensis (var. israelensis) has been scientifically tested for its effectiveness in mosquito pesticides. Entomologists at Ankara University in Turkey used micro-encapsulated solutions on mosquito larval populations. The addition of alginic acid (a colloidal acid found in brown fungi) produced positive results in this study. The bacillus acts as a pathogen on mosquito larvae, and is best used in areas where they naturally occur, such as areas where standing water collects--around outdoor water outlets or air-conditioning units, or near rain gutters, bird baths and swimming pools, for example. Granulated forms of this element can be obtained through lawn and garden stores.

Essential Oils

There are many commercial products available in the form of mosquito pesticides for yard treatment. Many of them include essential oils of natural botanicals and are effective in killing mosquitoes and other pests. One such product sold by Green Planet Company contains the essential oils of lemongrass, cedar, thyme, cloves, peppermint and several other plant extracts. This product should be diluted with water and can then be sprayed on yards and flower beds to control mosquito larval growth.

References

• Natural Herbalism: Pennyroyal
• University of Illinois Extension: Tips for Mosquito Control