Best Pesticides

There are a variety of insect pests that make life unpleasant, if not unbearable. Before you order a professional exterminator service, maybe you want to try solving any insect pest problems yourself. But there are a number of ways of applying the pesticides. You also have to have in mind what you're trying to exterminate—whether we're dealing with an ant colony, or a roach infestation. And finally, you have to be careful not to risk exposing your children or pets to the pesticide, if it's harmful to humans as well. Here is a guide to some of the best pesticides on the market.  

Pesticides can be sorted according to the form and method of application:

• Dust form: The active ingredient is applied to a finely ground dust. This is effective in a house, to kill ants that have nested in a wall. They are not so effective in a garden, since wind and rain will disperse the dust.

• Granular form: The active ingredient is applied to an inert pellet. These are effective against ground-dwelling insects.

• Aerosol: These are the familiar pesticides that are sold in spray cans. They are either sprayed on surfaces where pests are likely to walk around, or used to form a fog against flying insects.

• Spray: This can either come either 1) in a concentrate form, which you mix with water, or 2) in a ready-to-use form, which is already mixed with water. You apply these with a pump attached to a garden hose.

• Bait: These work on mixing an insecticide together with food, or insect pheromones (hormones). The insect pest eats the poison together with the bait.

• Natural Pesticides: These use essential oils that either repel or even kill insects. For example, neel oil, cedar oil and clove oil have been found to be effective against the nervous system and respiratory system of ants and other crawling insects. Another natural pesticide, diatomaceous earth, dries out insects and slugs that come in contact with it. At the same time, they are harmless against humans or pets. But sometimes “natural” ingredients can be just as toxic as synthetic, man-made ones.

• Smell: The natural oil-based pesticides will have a strong peppermint or clove oil smell to them. Some people might find it unpleasant, whereas others reportedly get used to it. Since pets may have a more sensitive sense of smell, they might be bothered by the scent than humans are.

• Seasonal use: Some customers noticed that pesticides were thought to “work” actually were ineffective—the change of season was what really just postponed the problem for a few months. For example, a flea infestation will calm down in the winter, only to come back in the spring and summer.

• Application in home and garden: Aerosols and sprays are not as effective in garden areas, since they get dispersed easily by wind and rain. Note also that certain pesticides only work when they are applied directly to the insects (called “contact insecticides”). You might have to apply the pesticide every day for several days before you actually see results. You should also note what is the spectrum of the pesticide: is it effective against a wide range of insects, or maybe just versus colonies of crawling insects, such as ants and termites.

• Residual activity: This refers to how long will the pesticide continue to work. It is important to note this, to see when you have to apply the pesticide again. The pesticide label will state how effective it is a day, a week, and a month after application.

• Effectiveness in rainy weather: The chemical pesticides can be washed away if there are heavy rains. You might have to apply the pesticide again after a rain. Usually the manufacturer suggests reapplying the product once every two weeks anyway, to maintain effectiveness.

Syngenta-- is a company based in Basel, Switzerland. They were formed in 2000 after a merger of Novartis Agribusiness and Zeneca Agrochemicals. It has 8 product lines: 5 product lines for pesticides and crop protection, and 3 product lines for seed products.

Control Solutions Inc.-- was founded in 1958 when the Boyd family purchased a pest control company in Pasadena, Texas. They took the name Control Systems, Inc. in 1985, to better distribute their products. They have pesticides against the major household insects: fleas, ticks, termites, roaches, ants, and mosquitoes.

EcoSMART—is a manufacturer of safe pesticides based on natural plant ingredients. They were founded in 1992, based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a division of Kittrich Corporation, a company based in Pomona, California, which manufactures furniture and home care supplies.

Nature-cide-- is a company based in Canoga Park, California. They make pesticides that are based on natural essential oils, and are safe around other animals, humans and beneficial bugs.