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Diatomaceous Earth is a mineral dust mined from quarries. No Synthetic Chemicals, No odor causing agents are added. DE doesn't evaporate or break down over time, because it's a mineral. Even though Pure Fossil Shell FlourTM is EPA exempt for it's original use as a feed ingredient and anti-caking agent in consumable foods for people and a feed additive for livestock and treatment of grain in silo storage and is nontoxic, it is not registered as a pesticide. Crawling Insect Killer utilizes diatomaceous earth (AKA silicon dioxide) and a powerful bait formula that kills insects two different ways, by ingestion and/or dehydration within 48 hours. Works indoors and outdoors when kept dry. This is not a feed grade product. The registration number on this diatomaceous earth product on this page is: EPA Reg. No. 73729-1-67197 EPA Establishment No. 67197-UT-001 and it is sold as a pesticide for crawling insects. Full instructions are on the bags. This product is also OMRI listed for use on organic farms and gardens. |
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Some Basic Data
How does diatomaceous earth work to kill bugs? Diatomaceous Earth to us and larger animals looks and acts like a powder. We can get it on our hands and rub it into the fur of animals for flea and tick control with no side effects except really dry hands. Washing afterwards is all we have to do and if you use it alot use some lotion to remoisturauze your hands. For insects however, it's death because at a microscopic level the edges of the diatom shells it's made of are very sharp and it scratches away the waxy layer most insects have on their exoskeloten. This waxy layer, once scrathed or removed allows the moisture from the insect's body to evaporate and the diatomaceous earth is so dry it dessicates the insect within 24 hours of contact. It works the same way for all crawling insects. This doesn't mean all your problems are over after 24 hours. Insects like Bed Bugs take a little more time and treating for insects isn't as easy as killing the ones you can see. Remember, there are eggs around and larvae hatching and breeding going on and more bugs potentially coming into the room or building all the time so it can take time to get the infestation under control. The nice thing is, diatomaceous earth unlike other toxic pesticides doesn't evaporate, gas off or go away. Once you apply it, it lasts forever until you vacuum it up or clean it up in some fashion. It gives long term, permanent protection even after the bugs are gone from your life. It's terrific stuff but it does take more time to work than chemical sprays and you will have to be vigilant and complete in your application of the product. If you can think of a place bugs can live and breed like attics, crawl spaces, basements, under cabinets, the backs of clsets etc, do it. Cover all your bases and be peristant. In the Walls If you want to treat inside wall cavities or other hard to reach spaces, use the "Puffer" bottle we sell or the large duster. You can drill or puncture a small hole in the plaster or sheet rock at the bottom of the wall, between the studs and "Puff" the powder into the space. Spackle or caulk the hole to provide a permanent seal and long term effectiveness of the Diatomaceous Earth or take off the base board and nail it back on after treatment. In older houses you might want to do this because the cracks under wood work and in the floor can be a great place to live and breed if you're a bug. This treatment can prevent them from hiding in the walls and prevent new infestations from coming in from next door if you happen to live in an apartment building. New Construction Information about Fleas: "Cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis)" are the most common fleas found on both cats and dogs. Flea eggs and adult feces fall off the host and accumulate where the pet rests, making these the prime flea breeding foci. Flea breeding in these areas can be reduced by establishing one clean sleeping area for the pet, choosing an area that can be cleaned easily on a regular basis, and using bedding material that can be laundered weekly or thrown away often if necessary. If human flea allergy is the cause of the complaint, pets should be excluded from areas of the house frequented by the person(s), or keep the people out of where the animal lives. It is most effective on cats, especially since cats do not normally tolerate baths. Fleas removed with the comb should be disposed of by dropping them in soapy water (Olkowski et al. 1983). Our experiences have shown that many cats find combing enjoyable. (Especially if you give the cat treats afterwards!)"
Treating the Room for Bed Bugs Bed Bugs are persistent creatures that may take some time to eliminate because, they only come out at night and they don't live on the bed during the day. They are attracted to body heat. I recommend treating the room and waiting 48 hours. Then vacuum up all the areas you treated to get all the dead Bed Bugs, feces and eggs they leave behind. Then, retreat the area again only this time leave the product down for good. When you clean the room on your usual schedule, retreat after vacuuming so you always have the protection from the Perma-Guard Fossil Shell flour working for you. they can come back just by some one coming into your home who met somebody who met somebody etc.. you can get rid of them and they can come in from an outside source or another partment in your building so it's good to always have diatomaceous earth applied and around for use. Wash all bedding materials and cloth material in the room often. This includes curtains, carpets(Vacuum), furniture covers, throw rugs and clothing. Treat any couches or soft furniture in the room with Diatomaceous Earth too. Other Steps You Can Take Bed Bugs are not good climbers and they don't live in the bedding during the day although, some people say they do. There's some disagreement on this point. There may be some stragglers but, it's generally not their style. They climb up the legs of the bed once you're in it and climb off the wall, base boards or any where else the bed comes in contact with the room. Here's something you can do about that. Place the base of the legs into some type of smooth metal or glass container. If you use glass, make sure it's completely smooth and very rugged. It could break. If you use metal, use as smooth a surface as you get. Stainless steel would be best. You can put a coating of the Diatomaceous Earth in the bottom of these containers to capture and kill the most ambitious of the Bed Bugs. Apply this product like any powder using the applicators we sell to the left of this text or any home made device you think would be appropriate for applying a dust like product. Apply in between the mattresses, carpet and all soft materials in the room where the bugs can live, lay eggs and hide. Bed bugs can live and breed in the cracks of hardwood floors and base boards as well, so make sure you cover these places well. Closets are another place they can live too. Wash all your clothes and keep them in another room until you're certain the Bed Bug problem is under control. The product is a dusty powder. Although non-toxic it will make you sneeze so, you might want to wear a dust mask when applying it.
Statements and Testimonials
October-2006 - A Dirt Works Customer In terms of safety for humans and our mammal friends, there is absolutely no justification for using any other insecticide besides diatomaceous earth or whatever else you want to call it: fossil shell flour. Everything in the world is a chemical including diatomaceous earth but this one does not get absorbed into the systemic part of the body. Susan C. Jones, Ph.D., Mature Bed Bug Common name Scientific Name: Bed Bug Cimex lectularius Bed bugs are parasites that preferentially feed on humans. If people aren't available, they instead will feed on other warm-blooded animals, including birds, rodents, bats, and pets. Bed bugs have been documented as pests since the 17th century. They were introduced into our country by the early colonists. Bed bugs were common in the United States prior to World War II, after which time widespread use of synthetic insecticides such as DDT greatly reduced their numbers. Improvements in household and personal cleanliness as well as increased regulation of the used furniture market also likely contributed to their reduced pest status. In the past decade, bed bugs have begun making a comeback across the United States, although they are not considered to be a major pest. The widespread use of baits rather than insecticide sprays for ant and cockroach control is a factor that has been implicated in their return. Bed bugs are blood feeders that do not feed on ant and cockroach baits. International travel and commerce are thought to facilitate the spread of these insect hitchhikers, because eggs, young, and adult bed bugs are readily transported in luggage, clothing, bedding, and furniture. Bed bugs can infest airplanes, ships, trains, and buses. Bed bugs are most frequently found in dwellings with a high rate of occupant turnover, such as hotels, motels, hostels, dormitories, shelters, apartment complexes, tenements, and prisons. Such infestations usually are not a reflection of poor hygiene or bad housekeeping. |
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