What’s a Daisy got to do with pest control?

Did you know that modern pest control is heavily influenced by a flower? This is one of the things that makes our services at PestX safe for family business and pets.

The chrysanthemum or daisy contains a substance known as pyrethrum. The flower is crushed up to release the pyrethrum contained in the seed cases. Some of the first recorded uses of it as an insecticide are documented well over 2000 years ago and was traded extensively along the Silk Route. It has an extensive history in it’s role as a pesticide and a companion plant in gardens to deter pests. The powdered version is reported to have been used by soldiers to deter body lice around the early 1800’s. Currently Tasmania is recognised as a major global source of pyrethrum as is Nigeria.

Pyrethrum works by attacking the nervous system of insects, but it has a low toxicity to mammals and is also bio-degradable, which is what makes it safe to use around humans and pets and also makes it environmentally friendly.

The vast majority of treatments we use in pest control services are synthetic versions of pyrethrum. It works by attacking the nervous system of insects. In order for pyrethrum based pesticides to be toxic most of us would have to consume well over 800grams of the concentrated active ingredient. Considering that on the standard house we probably don’t even use more than 20 grams of the concentrated active ingredient there is zero chance of it being toxic to you or your pets even if you licked the entire surface of the outside of your house after we treat it for you! I don’t imagine any of you are up for that task!

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