Topic: pyrethrin insecticide

[leeshaun]

Hi has anyone used pyrethrin insecticide if so is it any good and where is the best and cheapest place to buy it.  If not any other suggestions to control caterpillars?

[plainleaf]

you need read label
as for price call around.

[Digeroo]

Plainleaf,  the idea is to be friendly and helpful.

For cabbage white butterfly I find the most effective is to check the plants every two-three days and squash the eggs.  Most people use debris netting.

Does something like Pyrethrum sprays wash off when it rains? 

[bionear2]

Pyrethrum sprayed on caterpillars will kill quickly. Cheapest I have seen is Wilko's own brand.

[Vinlander]

Pyrethrum is a natural product (a plant extract - from one of the species of the same name).

It has a history of being used safely for centuries, it is also very short acting.

Unfortunately Permethrin doesn't and isn't.

Pesticide manufacturers regard persistence as of primary importance - so they twist a molecule like pyrethrum to add persistence - then that magnifies all their problems with side-effects.

It's the persistence of neo-nicotinoid pesticides - like imidocloprid - that kills bees while hundreds of years of nicotine use caused no problems (we sprayed after sunset).

Having said all that - permethrin is probably the least worst artificial insecticide available.

Cheers.

[sunloving]

Its very early for caterpillars, is it sawfly ?
good luck just be careful about srpaying anything you are thinking of eating .

Organic here and so not got anything to suggest other than some kind of fatty acid spray and pick thm off. Our sparrows and hens eat all ours.

Good luck
x Sunloving

[goodlife]

I thought pyrethrin is finished now ???..are you still able to buy it?
Leeshaun..you are not mentioning for what crops you are going to use it for...is this for to use now or are you just asking for future refrence?

[David K]

Pyrethrin is derived from members of the marigold family. If you crush the leaves between your fingers, the strong smell is in from them is pyrethrin...this is why they are often used in greenhouses as a companion plant to deter whitefly & aphids.

The most effective organic method of killing caterpillars (and other insects) I know, is an insecticide made from rhubarb leaves.

Can let you have the recipe if you wish.

[Vinlander]

The BT (bacillus thuringensis) toxin is extremely safe and effective against caterpillars - but it seems to have entirely disappeared from retail.

Does anyone know why?

It is definitely entirely harmless to humans, though I did hear a rumour that it could upset some people's stomach if they were daft enough to believe it and daft enough to eat cabbages the same day as spraying.

It's a mystery...

Cheers.

[Robert_Brenchley]

There are different versions of BT which target specific insects; I don't know how they'd affect other species. Certan, which is intended for wax moths is still available here: https://secure.thorne.co.uk/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/millhouse/thorne/shop/springer?ACTION=thispage&THISPAGE=page10121.html&ORDER_ID=276842803 , and since they're lepidoptera, I bet it would work on other caterpillars.

[bionear2]

Yes Goodlife, Pyrethrum is still one of the few products still not banned by our european masters.