Post by CampGreyhound on Oct 2, 2010 15:33:51 GMT -5
Once you've decided that chemicals are not for you or your household, you need some alternatives in case some of those critters turn up. Fleas, worms and other parasites tend to either leave healthy beings alone, or are easily fought off by a healthy immune system. But sometimes we have a bad season, and you're in danger of an infestation. What's an all natural household to do?
Food grade Diatomaceous Earth is your number one tool for fleas. It can also be fed with no untoward effects, and actually provides a range of trace minerals. DE is actually not earth, but a powder or flour made from the fossilized remains of single celled organisms called diatoms. Here's a picture of what the diatoms look like under a microscope.We have found when applied externally, the DE dries out areas that are usually moist, like the groin and pits, which discourages fleas from sticking around.
These diatoms work by wearing off the exoskeleton of external parasites, and causing lacerations to them so their action is mechanical rather than chemical. Because of their shape and size, there is no danger to internal organs whatsoever, and in fact DE was approved for use in the human food industry, in grains, years ago to control pest populations in storage facilities. It's never actually removed from the grain, it's ground up along with it. Safe for us, safe for your pets.
Because food grade DE is made from amorphous silica it will not cause silicosis (the lung disease associated with the inhalation of silica particles) when inhaled. Therefore there is no reason for one to wear a mask even when applying food grade DE to the lawn or on your pet. Only prolonged breathing of large volumes of DE, typically more than 20 million particles per cubic foot of air, eight hours a day, five days a week would require the wearing of a breathing mask. This sort of airborne concentration would only be found in mills processing DE.
For those of you wishing a reference, a good one is the McGill University study done on DE back in 1986 by Professor Stuart B. Hill, Department of Entomology and Ecological Agriculture Projects.
web.archive.org/web/20040618090847/www.eap.mcgill.ca/Publications/eap4.htm
DE also has other benefits, in addition to supplying numerous trace minerals. DE is said to enhance the immune system by helping to remove pollutants from the body. It has been reported in the scientific literature that DE has the ability to absorb E. coli, methyl mercury, and endotoxins, (a toxin of internal origin, specifically a toxin produced by bacteria). It has also been reported that viruses (including poliovirus) are likewise absorbed by DE and carried out of the body. Organophosphate pesticide residues, drug residues, even the proteinaceous toxins produced by some intestinal infections may also absorbed and eliminated from the body by DE.
DE can safely be used externally on your animal, to help ward off fleas and mosquitoes, and to kill any fleas that may try and get a taste of your pet. It works more slowly then chemicals, so you need to keep an eye on your animal during the flea season, and if your area is having a wet season, you should also use herbal repellents to discourage infestations.
DE has been proven to be effective against all the following insects. • ants • army worms • bag worms • bed bugs • box elder bugs • carpet beetles • caterpillars • centipedes • cinch bugs cockroaches • Colorado potato beetles • crickets • cut worms • darkling beetles • earwigs • fire ants • flies • fleas • gnats • house flies • lice • millipedes • mites • mosquitoes • scorpions • silver fish • slugs • snails • spiders • ticks
DE will not differentiate good bugs from bad, so be sparing in your use of DE outside your home and the honey bees will thank you.
You must be careful about is getting the correct kind of DE. Food grade DE is the only kind that should be used; there are other grades, for agricultural use and for pool filters, and the latter is toxic. Your DE should say FOOD GRADE or CODEX on the bag.
Food grade Diatomaceous Earth is your number one tool for fleas. It can also be fed with no untoward effects, and actually provides a range of trace minerals. DE is actually not earth, but a powder or flour made from the fossilized remains of single celled organisms called diatoms. Here's a picture of what the diatoms look like under a microscope.We have found when applied externally, the DE dries out areas that are usually moist, like the groin and pits, which discourages fleas from sticking around.
These diatoms work by wearing off the exoskeleton of external parasites, and causing lacerations to them so their action is mechanical rather than chemical. Because of their shape and size, there is no danger to internal organs whatsoever, and in fact DE was approved for use in the human food industry, in grains, years ago to control pest populations in storage facilities. It's never actually removed from the grain, it's ground up along with it. Safe for us, safe for your pets.
Because food grade DE is made from amorphous silica it will not cause silicosis (the lung disease associated with the inhalation of silica particles) when inhaled. Therefore there is no reason for one to wear a mask even when applying food grade DE to the lawn or on your pet. Only prolonged breathing of large volumes of DE, typically more than 20 million particles per cubic foot of air, eight hours a day, five days a week would require the wearing of a breathing mask. This sort of airborne concentration would only be found in mills processing DE.
For those of you wishing a reference, a good one is the McGill University study done on DE back in 1986 by Professor Stuart B. Hill, Department of Entomology and Ecological Agriculture Projects.
web.archive.org/web/20040618090847/www.eap.mcgill.ca/Publications/eap4.htm
DE also has other benefits, in addition to supplying numerous trace minerals. DE is said to enhance the immune system by helping to remove pollutants from the body. It has been reported in the scientific literature that DE has the ability to absorb E. coli, methyl mercury, and endotoxins, (a toxin of internal origin, specifically a toxin produced by bacteria). It has also been reported that viruses (including poliovirus) are likewise absorbed by DE and carried out of the body. Organophosphate pesticide residues, drug residues, even the proteinaceous toxins produced by some intestinal infections may also absorbed and eliminated from the body by DE.
DE can safely be used externally on your animal, to help ward off fleas and mosquitoes, and to kill any fleas that may try and get a taste of your pet. It works more slowly then chemicals, so you need to keep an eye on your animal during the flea season, and if your area is having a wet season, you should also use herbal repellents to discourage infestations.
DE has been proven to be effective against all the following insects. • ants • army worms • bag worms • bed bugs • box elder bugs • carpet beetles • caterpillars • centipedes • cinch bugs cockroaches • Colorado potato beetles • crickets • cut worms • darkling beetles • earwigs • fire ants • flies • fleas • gnats • house flies • lice • millipedes • mites • mosquitoes • scorpions • silver fish • slugs • snails • spiders • ticks
DE will not differentiate good bugs from bad, so be sparing in your use of DE outside your home and the honey bees will thank you.
You must be careful about is getting the correct kind of DE. Food grade DE is the only kind that should be used; there are other grades, for agricultural use and for pool filters, and the latter is toxic. Your DE should say FOOD GRADE or CODEX on the bag.
