What are natural pesticides?

Natural pesticides have long been vital tools used to combat agricultural pests and harmful insects. In recent years, the world has witnessed a growing interest in natural pesticides due to growing concerns about the effects of synthetic chemical pesticides on human health and the environment. Natural pesticides are a sustainable and safe alternative to chemical pesticides. Natural pesticides are distinguished by being derived from natural sources, such as plants, minerals, and microorganisms.

What are natural pesticides?

Here are some natural pesticides:

1. Neem oil

Neem oil, a purified hydrophobic extract, is its most effective ingredient. It repels, destroys, and reduces pests and insects by disrupting their hormonal systems and preventing them from growing. It targets many insects such as locusts and nematodes. Neem oil is not safe for birds, mammals, or bees.

Neem oil has a strange smell, a mixture of garlic and peanuts.
Neem is used in folk medicine to expel worms, kill pests, disinfect, combat parasites, and kill insects. Human use of neem oil has been around for centuries in India and surrounding regions.

2. Herbicides

Herbicides are a group of chemical compounds that are used to control the growth of harmful plants known as weeds.
Herbicides are important tools in agriculture and horticulture, used to reduce the impact of weeds that compete with crops or agricultural plants for vital resources such as water, light, and nutrients.
Herbicides are used in various fields, such as commercial agriculture, gardens, and public lands. These herbicides are used to control weeds that negatively affect agricultural growth and productivity, to control weeds on farms.
Herbicides are used to prevent the growth of weeds that compete with crops for vital resources, thus contributing to increased farm productivity and improved crop quality.
Urban areas use herbicides to control the growth of weeds in parks, gardens, roads, and walkways.
It may be used to prevent the growth of weeds that threaten the natural ecosystem or compete with native plants.

3. Pesticides

They target the insect's nervous system, disrupting nerve communication and causing death. Pyrethroids and carbamates, for example, are selective insecticides that affect a specific group of insects without affecting non-target organisms, such as entomopathogenic insects and insecticidal bacteria.
Biological pesticides rely on natural enemies of pests such as bacteria, fungi, and parasites.
Herbicides are used to protect plants from insect pests and work by forming a covering layer on plant parts.
Botanical pesticides, such as neem, clover, garlic, and others, use plant extracts to control insect pests.
The importance of pesticides is to get rid of insects that attack agricultural crops and cause damage to plants and other property.
Pesticides help protect against the damage caused by certain insects to agricultural plants, thus improving the quality of agricultural products.
By reducing disease transmission by controlling disease-causing insects, pesticides reduce the transmission of diseases between plants and animals.

Termite pesticides

Types of pesticides are used based on the type of termite and its spread in the targeted area, including:

Pyrethroids are a group of pesticides widely used and effective for controlling termites and other insects. These substances injure insects, causing convulsions and rapid death.
Neonicotinoids reduce ants' ability to move and feed, leading to their gradual death. They are used in situations of minimal environmental contamination, relying on living organisms used as a means of termite control, including some natural fungi and bacteria.
Boron is a natural substance sometimes used in powder or gel to control termites. Boron affects the digestive system of termites, causing them to stop growing and die.

Types of pesticides

Carbamate pesticides: Effective against a wide range of insects, they work quickly when exposed to them. Carbamate pesticides are available in liquid or powder form.
Pesticides: They are used in various fields, including agriculture, healthcare, and others. Their purpose is to reduce the spread of diseases and maintain public health.
Inorganic pesticides: These are manufactured synthetically and their chemical base consists of various chemical elements that work to kill pests, inhibit their growth, or disrupt their vital functions.

Odorless insecticide

Imidacloprid: Used to control crawling and flying insects such as cockroaches, ants, bedbugs, flies, and mosquitoes.
Diatomaceous earth: An environmentally friendly powder used to control crawling insects, it is a safe option for use around children and pets.
Acetamiprid: Commonly used to control flying insects such as flies and whiteflies, it is considered safe for indoor use.

The most powerful insecticide for all insects

Fipronil: Controls Ants Fipronil is used to control termites, red ants, fire ants, and other harmful ant species in homes, buildings, and urban areas.
Flea and lice control: Fipronil can be used in insecticide products to eliminate fleas and lice stuck in animal fur. In addition, it eliminates crawling insects such as beetles and protects crops from them.

Types of chemical pesticides

Granular poisons: These consist of small granular pieces containing toxic substances that target rodents when ingested. These poisons are placed in a location that rodents can easily access.
Herbicides: These work specifically to affect weeds. Weeds may be affected in various ways, such as destroying their root system or the plant's photosynthesis process.
Fumigants: Gaseous pesticides that kill insects through their breathing holes.

How to make a natural insecticide at home?

To make a homemade insecticide, here are some tips:

The most effective water to use is distilled water, which reacts more quickly with soap to produce lather. You can use it to make insecticides because it is purified of minerals.
Soap has long been used to control many types of plant insects. The best type for controlling plant insects is liquid soap, such as liquid hand soap and liquid dish soap.
There are various ingredients you can add to your pesticide to increase its effectiveness. One of the most popular is apple cider vinegar, which is effective at killing powdery mildew, a fungal disease that can affect many plants.

What do you know about pesticides?

Pesticides are chemical substances or compounds used to protect crops from harmful insects and pests. They must be used carefully and in specific quantities to avoid causing harm.

What are the most important characteristics of a pesticide?

Pesticides must be chemically stable, so they do not spoil or decompose quickly. This helps increase their shelf life and effectiveness.
Pesticides must be safe for human and animal use and not cause health damage upon exposure.
Pesticides must have a low environmental impact, so as not to cause environmental and groundwater pollution and not affect biodiversity.
Pesticides should preferably be biodegradable after use.
Pesticides must be easy and effective to apply, whether by spraying on plants or using other application methods.
It should be economical and provide added value when used.

Although natural pesticides are effective, they must be monitored and tested periodically to ensure their strength and effectiveness. They can also be used under proper guidance, in accordance with technical instructions and necessary precautions to avoid any unwanted negative effects, by using natural pesticides responsibly and sustainably.