Sometimes even in rooms where a lot of time is devoted to the issue of cleanliness, harmful insects appear. You can use modern insecticides, but their use is limited due to high toxicity. It is for this reason that people prefer to use natural products in their homes that effectively repel insects. Pyrethrum powder is completely harmless to residents, but cockroaches and fleas leave an environment unfavorable for them.
What is "Pyrethrum"
Pyrethrum is a medicinal plant similar in appearance to chamomile. The country of its growth is Montenegro, as well as Croatia. The plant can also be found in Transcaucasia. Because of its external similarity, it is often called chamomile.
Pyrethrum powder is crushed inflorescences that were used to kill bedbugs and fleas two centuries ago. In ancient times, it was the well-known “Dalmatian powder”, which was actively used by housewives. They sprinkled it on the places where most insects lived.
There was also another type of powder that previously existed. It was called “Persian” and arsenic was added to it for greater effectiveness. But due to mass poisonings of domestic animals and people, its use came to naught.
Interestingly, soldiers from the time of Alexander the Great actively used Pyrethrum powder to get rid of bedbugs on clothes and bedding.
Composition of the product
When it is necessary to destroy insects in the house, when choosing a product, its safety for household members and animals is important. At first glance, there are many such drugs. But some have a pungent odor, while others are ineffective. Pyrethrum powder against bedbugs does not have these shortcomings. The effect occurs almost immediately and lasts for a long time.
In production, the drug is prepared by grinding the inflorescences of Pyrethrum - Caucasian chamomile. The result is a gray-green powder, which is the main component of the product.
People have long noticed that the fragrant plant repels harmful insects. Bunches of the plant were dried and hung around the house, placed in cabinets and placed in the kitchen. A pleasant floral aroma quickly spread throughout the house, which is harmless to humans and pets, but is not tolerated by fleas and cockroaches.
Compound
When choosing an insecticide, a person first of all focuses on its safety for family members and pets. The range of such products is wide, but each of them has one or another drawback: too strong a chemical odor, instability or the presence of a carcinogenic effect. Pyrethrum powder against cockroaches and bed bugs is free from these disadvantages, since no highly toxic compounds were used in its manufacturing process.
Advice
A plant insecticide helps gardeners and gardeners fight pests of fruit, vegetable and berry crops. Before planting plants in beds or flower beds, you should pour a pinch of powder into each hole.
The insecticide got its name from the plant that is its main component. Manufacturers obtain the grey-green powder by grinding dried Persian or Caucasian chamomile flowers. People have long noticed that these fragrant plants can repel harmful insects. Dry herbs tied into bundles were laid out in closets with clothes and on kitchen shelves. The room was quickly filled with a smell pleasant to people, but completely intolerable to cockroaches and fleas.
For several decades, the natural insecticide was undeservedly forgotten due to the synthesis of more effective analogues based on pyrethrum. But during use, it turned out that they can provoke severe allergic reactions and cause breathing problems. Chamomile extract has regained its former popularity. When studying its pharmacological action, doctors discovered that the healing plant can relieve a person from diseases of the musculoskeletal system, treat migraines and headaches.
How the drug works
Pyrethrum powder has properties similar to insecticides. But it refers to means of contact action. When plant particles fall on the insect's cover, they quickly penetrate inside. The concentration quickly increases and spreads throughout the body.
The action of the powder is based on its effect on the nervous system:
- The transmission of nerve impulses is disrupted and, consequently, the entire vital system is disrupted.
- Insects are unable to move. Paralysis of all organs occurs.
Insects lose the ability to move, which means they are deprived of food. The number of adults decreases sharply. Those who survive are unable to reproduce. The population does not recover and quickly disappears. The remaining insects leave the dangerous place.
In a residential building where there are small children and animals, it is better to use natural Pyrethrum. Flea powder will help if the flea population has not reached a large size. In case of large crowds and in office or other non-residential premises, it is more rational to use a synthetic insecticide.
How rat fleas appear in the house
Experts classify the rat flea as a parasite that perfectly adapts to living not only on rats, but also in the comfort of home, where people, children, and pets live. They can easily move into a hamster's cage, from which the latter can quickly die, attack birds in cages, etc. But most of all they cause people trouble. The main source of such a bloodsucker in the house is, of course, rodents - rats or mice. It should also be noted that not only this type of insect, but also rabbit, dog or cat species can live on rats.
They do not live on the body of animals or their other victims, they only attack to feed on blood. How can rats and their fleas appear in the house? It is worth noting several of the most common foci that cause infection of premises by these parasites:
- places where there is a large accumulation of dirt, garbage, waste;
- garbage chutes;
- basements.
Clinging to shoes, feet, clothes, packages, travel bags and other things, they can be carried into the house from the street or from neighbors, friends, and guests. After walking outside with your pet, insects may migrate to them. They like to hide in people's homes:
- behind the baseboards;
- in floor cracks;
- cracks in window frames or door frames;
- in soft upholstery of sofas and armchairs;
- in soft toys;
- near the trash can and in other similar places where it is difficult to get to their accumulations, a breeding ground.
Very often, such insects like to nest in old, greasy carpets that have not been washed for years. Sometimes they get into bed linen and where stacks of terry towels have been lying for a very long time. If there were holes in the pillows, then even these parasites can be found.
Properties of a natural product
The main advantage of the drug, which housewives note, is its complete environmental safety. As a plant component, it has the property of breaking down into natural components under direct sunlight in literally two days. But this property also determines the disadvantage of Pyrethrum. The duration of action of the powder is quite short. But here you have to choose between the complete safety of the product used, which is Pyrethrum powder, and the speed of destruction of harmful insects.
The main advantages of the drug:
- high effectiveness against bedbugs and cockroaches, when comparing Pyrethrum with other herbal products;
- safe use indoors where there are small children and pets;
- there is no need for special means to remove the used drug;
- there is no need to leave the living space during processing;
- when using highly toxic drugs, be sure to ventilate the room; Pyrethrum eliminates this need;
- insects do not get used to using Pyrethrum, so repeated treatments do not require increasing the dose;
- makes it possible to quickly and effectively get rid of fleas;
- does not affect indoor plants;
- “Pyrethrum” (powder for bedbugs and fleas) does not contain additional chemical compounds that would have a negative impact on human health.
Where to buy?
Having decided to buy Pyrethrum powder, many are faced with the fact that this product is not available in hardware stores. Many sellers have not even heard of this drug, since it was never imported to them. What can be done in this case? There are two options to solve the problem:
- You can try to buy the product abroad via the Internet by going to the most popular international trading platforms;
- If you were unable to buy the drug, you can try to make it yourself.
How to prepare the drug?
You can simply buy regular pharmacy chamomile (dry herb), chop it and use it as described above. However, the effect in this case will be small, since there are not as many natural insecticides in pharmaceutical chamomile as in Dalmatian chamomile.
A more effective preparation can be prepared if it is possible to find Dalmatian (or Caucasian) chamomile. Necessary:
- During the period of active flowering, collect plant inflorescences;
- Dry them out of direct sunlight. You can use an electric dryer, oven, or simply scatter the inflorescences in a dark, but dry and ventilated room;
- Grind the dried inflorescences into powder. It is convenient to use a blender to do this job.
So, Pyrethrum powder is a natural and environmentally friendly product that can be used to exterminate harmful insects, including bedbugs.
How to use Pyrethrum against pests
Instructions for use are included in each package. It provides recommendations for use and recommended doses. The amount of powder used depends on the type of insect being destroyed and the scale of the disaster.
Therefore, before starting the actual processing, you should determine the approximate number of insects. Their possible “paths” are also determined.
Pests often hide under baseboards and other hard-to-reach places. To treat them, you can use a spray bottle, which is sold at the pharmacy. If there is none, then a regular syringe will cope with the problem. In this case, a water-based solution is prepared from the powder.
Recommended treatment locations:
- baseboards;
- joints between tiles;
- carpet covering;
- cushioned furniture;
- kitchen furniture.
To kill cockroaches, bedbugs and fleas, you can purchase Pyrethrum powder. The instructions that come with the product will help you find the best way to use it. So, if you need to treat hard-to-reach places, it is recommended to prepare a solution.
Requires 5-6 tablespoons of powder and one liter of water. The resulting composition is poured into a spray bottle or syringe and the favorite places of pests are treated.
Scope of application
The effect of the powder is short-lived and lasts about 2-3 days. After this, wet cleaning is recommended, and the use of special detergents is not required. If necessary, you can repeat the processing.
It must be remembered that “Pyrethrum” acts only on adults, having a paralytic effect. It does not have the desired effect on the larvae, so offspring may soon appear. Therefore, for complete destruction of insects, at least five treatments are recommended.
The drug is active against bedbugs, cockroaches, fleas and lice. Insects often enter apartments located on the first floors from the basements. Therefore, it is recommended to pour the powder under the mat located at the front door. Of course, it is necessary to change it after 2-3 days.
It is allowed to use the product to control fleas on pets. To do this, the powder is spread on their fur. It tastes bitter, so your pet will not lick it off.
To get rid of lice, you can also use Pyrethrum powder. In the pharmacy, this product is sold in the form of a dry powder or solution, which must be rubbed into the scalp. After 30 minutes, the hair is washed with warm water. The treatment is repeated 3-4 times. The main problem is that the product is rarely commercially available.
What does science say about pyrethrum?
Pyrethrum owes part of its return to its former medical glory to an Englishwoman, a certain Mrs. Jenkins, who in the late 70s cured her migraines and became the cause of the first scientific study of the properties of pyrethrum. She was the wife of the Chief Medical Officer of the UK National Coal Bureau. She was 68 years old at the time and had suffered from migraines for more than fifty of those years—since she was 16 years old. As they say, one acquaintance suggested that she try an old folk remedy - chewing pyrethrum leaves. She started taking three leaves a day - they said that this dose was effective. And the result was not long in coming. Her headaches became less frequent and weaker, and after ten months they disappeared completely.
Her physician husband told Dr. E. Stuart Johnson of the London Migraine Clinic about this, and he became interested and decided to investigate the use of this folk remedy. He identified almost 300 migraine sufferers who regularly used feverfew and surveyed them. Their stories were so convincing that Dr. E. Stuart Johnson and other researchers began to conduct research, and soon evidence appeared in the best medical journals in the UK that feverfew actually helped treat migraines.
In 1985, Dr. Johnson published the results of his research in the prestigious British Medical Journal. He examined 270 migraine patients, 72 percent of whom chewed pyrethrum leaves. The latter claimed that their migraines were less frequent and weaker. Then Dr. Johnson decided to determine whether their beliefs had a physiological basis or were just a figment of the imagination. He decided to study the condition of 17 migraine sufferers who regularly chewed pyrethrum leaves. He made experimental capsules with dried pyrethrum powder and very similar capsules without the active substance. Patients, not knowing which capsules they were receiving, were required to take them every day for about six months and note how frequent and severe the attacks of pain were. The results were surprising and very convincing. They showed that pyrethrum is indeed effective. Those people who received capsules with pyrethrum practically did not suffer from migraines, as before. But those who suddenly lost this medicine found themselves in a terrible state. Their headaches increased many times over, and some of the patients even refused to participate in the experiment. When they resumed taking feverfew, their migraines became weaker or disappeared completely.
The decisive argument in favor of pyrethrum was another so-called double-blind trial, which involved people suffering from migraines who had never used pyrethrum before. This study, conducted at Nottingham University Hospital, England, was published in the British medical journal Lancet in 1988. Over two four-month periods, patients took either a capsule of dried pyrethrum leaves (about two medium-sized leaves) or a capsule of dried cabbage leaves (as a placebo) daily. And again, pyrethrum showed its best side. If patients took the real drug, they experienced migraines a quarter less frequently and were much milder; Vomiting or visual disturbances were less common. That is why today you can buy pyrethrum tablets or capsules, which are no worse than traditional medicines in dealing with this curse of some people - migraines.
I have virtually eliminated the need for migraine treatment in my patients because I advise them to take feverfew. Daniel Tucker, Board Certified Allergist, Immunologist and Internal Medicine Specialist (West Palm Beach, FL).
Precautions when working with the drug
Despite the declared safety and natural composition, certain precautions must be taken when working with the product. The powder contains pyrethrins, which can provoke allergic reactions. Before using the drug, you must make sure that no one close to you is sensitive to plants from the Asteraceae family.
Before starting treatment, especially with the prepared solution, it is better to take measures to help protect people:
- put on gloves;
- protect your face with a bandage;
- It is recommended to use special glasses.
After handling, you must wash your hands with soap and wash with cool water. The powder should be stored out of the reach of children.
conclusions
Pyrethrum powder is a natural remedy that fights crawling and flying insects as effectively as its chemical counterparts. But at the same time, it is safe to use in a home inhabited by children, elderly people and animals. This is confirmed by user reviews.
The product has no analogues among drugs that combine the effectiveness of an insecticide and the safety of the plant. However, as users note, you should not randomly sprinkle powder in the hope of getting rid of insects and neglect the instructions. Only complete adherence to the rules of use will help eliminate unpleasant “tenants” and guarantee safety for people.
The only problem noted in the reviews is that the powder has become difficult to obtain. It is very rarely sold in pharmacies. There are special websites where Pyrethrum is sold both in the form of a regular powder and in the form of a product based on it. These can be sprays or liquids. They differ in scope. To treat premises, one drug is required, for animals - another, and for plants - a third.
Description of the drug
A long time ago, housewives prepared a chamomile-based product on their own by drying the flowers of a perennial plant.
It was called Persian powder and was also used in the fight against bedbugs. Chamomile destroyed ticks and fought against helminths. The modern drug Pyrethrum also contains pyrethrins, but it is not easy to find it on sale. Along with the powdery substance, Pyrethrum appeared in the form of an aerosol to kill bedbugs. Regular medicinal chamomile in the form of dried flowers or filter bags with powder will replace store-bought powder. It can be bought at every pharmacy. True, you should immediately be prepared for the fact that such a replacement does not promise to be effective.
The powdered drug can be ordered abroad. But in order to understand how advisable it is to wait for products from afar, you should familiarize yourself with all the advantages and take into account the disadvantages of Pyrethrum.
- Low toxicity, naturalness and environmental friendliness make the drug indispensable for use in homes where there are children.
- The active substances in its composition quickly disintegrate in the light and no longer pose any danger after 1.5 days. You don’t have to worry that surfaces that are not completely cleaned can cause damage.
- Bed bugs successfully mutate and become accustomed to various types of chemicals. In this sense, pyrethrins benefit from virtually no addictive effects on parasites.
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But to the extent that Pyrethrum does not have a long enough effect, its effectiveness is in doubt. After all, the larvae will remain safe and sound, and after a while the bedbugs will appear again.
