Solved! The mystery of the miraculous insecticidal chalk
- To: m*@ucdavis.edu, perennials@mallorn.com
- Subject: Solved! The mystery of the miraculous insecticidal chalk
- From: N* S*
- Date: Fri, 23 Oct 1998 00:20:26 -0500
You might recall a discussion a few months back, when I asked if anyone
knew the identity of the miraculous insecticidal chalk I was using for my
ant problem. All I have to do is draw a few short lines across an ant
trail with my chalk and the ants go away! Poof! Problem was, I was
concerned about what the magic ingredient is and if indeed it is "non-toxic
humans and animal" as the box claimed.
Michael Barclay, one of the mediterranean plant list members, kindly had
the chalk analyzed for me and it turns out the active ingredient is a
pyrethroid which is a synthetic pyrethrin. I don't know WHICH pyrethroid
it is, so I have not been able to look it up, but here is the message I got
from Michael when he sent me the results:
_______
The chalk is a greasy natural alkaline chalk which has been impregnated
with synthetic pyrethrins known as pyrythroids. It should be very safe to
use indoors and out even around food crops. It is widely available from
different manufacturers in markets in Oakland's Chinatown. It's cheap and
effective and a wonderful find.
Finally we can keep ants out of containerized citrus which means no scale!
The chinese communitee uses it to keep ants out of their homes during cold
wet weather. The ants were impossible during this last rainy winter hence
the sudden appearence of Magic Insecticidal Chalk. It supposedly works for
cockroaches as well.
Flora bless the chrysanthemums, or whatever they are now!
Michael
Michael D. Barclay, Council, California Horticultural Society
opga@wenet.net Growing 2,000 species fifteen miles from the Golden Gate!
_________________
I'd still like to know the hazards of pyrethroids, but at least we now have
an idea of what we are dealing with. Anyone have any comments?
Nan
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Nan Sterman Minds Over Matter
205 Cole Ranch Road nsterman@mindsovermatter.com
Olivenhain, CA 92024
760 634-2902 (voice)
760 634-2957 (fax)
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