Pesticides from Natural Ingredients
“Increasingly, well-known insecticide manufacturers, retailers and even professional pest-control services are rolling out solutions derived from natural materials like animals, plants, bacteria and minerals, many of them considered potentially safer to humans, pets and the environment than their synthetic-chemical counterparts. Fueling the move is increased governmental scrutiny over what pesticides we spray in and around our homes, as well as a bid to satisfy more health-conscious consumers—especially women, who typically dictate household pest-solution purchases.”
Among the products profiled in her report:
SafeShield, a $9.99 indoor insecticide spray from Terminix that contains active ingredients thyme oil and “geraniol,” a substance found in geranium, rose, lemon and other plants.
Terro, a line of ant- and bug-bait products from Senoret Chemical Co. using a 
mineral containing the element boron, which is generally considered low in toxicity to humans and animals.
Safer, a product line from Woodstream Corp. with an organic mosquito- and tick-control concentrate made in part from chrysanthemum flowers.
EcoSense, a product line of home pest-defense from Scotts Miracle-Gro using an indoor insect-killer spray made from soybean oil and an insecticidal soap for vegetables and plants.
MotherEarth D, a powder made of diatomaceous earth that triggers dehydration and death in bugs.
EcoExempt IC-2, a spray made from botanical oils such as spearmint and rosemary targeting a wide range of pests from mosquitoes to bedbugs.
