Pesticide Classes
Inorganic - No Carbon
- Minerals - Esp. Fungicides (Copper Sulfate, Boric Acid)
- Salts - Esp. Herbicides, some fertilizers (MgCI)
Organic - Contains Carbon
- Precautions: Do not apply oil when the temperature is lower than 40 degrees or higher than 80 degrees or if the humidity exceeds 90%, because these factors affect the oil's evaporation and plants can be injured. Nor should you spray with oil 30 days before or after applying any type of sulfur spray or certain fungicides.
- Commercial products: SunSpray Ultra-Fine oil, Volck Oil Spray.
Natural - (Botanicals)
- From Chrysanthemums = pyrethrum
- Derris Sp. = rotenone
- Tobacco = nicotine
- Calabar Bean = physotigmine
Synthetic - Man Made
most work on nervous system, also some stomach poisons, anti-coagulants.
- Organochlorines
- chlorinated hydrocarbons
- Long environmental residue (good and bad)
- DDT*, Lindane* (lindane), Kelthane* (difocol), methoxychlor, chlordane (no longer available), mirex, heptachlor, Toxakil* (toxaphene)
- Organophosphates
- Contain phosphorus. There are 6 subclasses based on varying combinations of oxygen, carbon, sulfur and nitrogen attached to the phosphorus.
- Quick action, low toxicity, low residual.
- Inhibits nerve reaction (like LSD or other drugs).
- Malathion* (malathion), Orthene* systemic (acephate), Diazinon* (diazinon), Dursban* (chlorpyrifos), Thimet* (phorate), Dasanit* (fensulfothion), Abate* (temophos), Sumithrin* (phenothrin), Nemacur * (fenamiphos), Guthion* (azinphos-methyl), (ethyl parathion), Cygon, Di-syston, Marathon* (imidacloprid)
- Carbamates
- Are derivatives of carbonic acid
- Quick action, low toxicity, longer residual.
- Sevin* (carbaryl), Furadan* (carbofuran), Baygon* (propoxur), Temik* (aldicarb).
- Pyrethroids - based on extract of a species of chrysanthemum. There are "natural" pyrethrin products and "synthetic" pyrethrin products. The natural ones are not very stable in sunlight whereas the synthetics are stable in sunlight, and many are quite effective at very low use rates.
- Low mammalian toxicity, high pest toxicity, low rates, high fish & reptile toxicity.
- Ambush* & Pounce* (permethrin), Pydrin* (fenvalerate), Temik*, aldicarb, resmethrin, permethrin.
*Brand name
( ) chemical name
Alternate the pesticides you use to help prevent insect resistance.