Insecticides with Plant Oils as Active Ingredients

The Green Light Company (P.O. Box 17985, San Antonio, TX 78217, web
site http://www.greenlightco.com) recently introduced Bioganic(R) Home &
Garden Spray RTU and Bioganic(R) Lawn & Garden Spray RTS, both
containing
plant oils as active (and also as ³inert²) ingredients. According to
Green Light, ³Bioganic products were developed to provide consumers with
formulations that are safe around children, pets, and the environment.
They are 100% organic [meaning that they meet the requirements of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture¹s National Organic Program], both sprays
kill and repel insects, and may be used on vegetables up until the day
of harvest. These unique products have broad label uses (ornamentals,
potted plants, etc.).² Judging from information provided by Green Light
and additional information available on the World Wide Web (especially
at the sites http://www.ecopco.com and http://www.ecoipm.com), these new
insecticides combine extraordinary safety and efficacy‹ they soon might
be the products of choice even for home gardeners who currently use
conventional broad-spectrum sprays! Below are excerpts from a recent
Green Light press release.

Green Light Bioganic(R) products employ the natural defenses that
plants ... have used for their self-protection against insects and
pathogens for centuries‹essential oils. After many years of researching
the natural defenses of plants, Green Light introduces revolutionary and
proprietary combinations of effective insecticidal plant oils that offer
reduced-risk alternatives. In addition, there is less probability
insects will become resistant to the oils, a problem common to most
insecticides currently in use.
The active ingredients in the Bioganic(R) line of products are unique
blends of essential oils. [According to the Material Safety Data Sheets,
available at the Green Light web site listed above, the active
ingredients in both the Home & Garden Spray and the Lawn & Garden Spray
are clove oil, sesame oil, and thyme oil, while the inert ingredients in
both products are wintergreen oil, soybean oil, lecithin, and water. Not
counting water or lecithin, the concentrations of active and inert
ingredients are higher in the Lawn & Garden Spray (which is formulated
for hoseend spraying) than in Home & Garden Spray (which is formulated
for finger-trigger spraying).] Approved as Direct Food Additives or
classified as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) by the U.S. Food &
Drug Administration, these oils are commonly used to add flavor and
aroma to many cosmetic, beverage, and food products, including cake,
candy, sweeteners, gum, soft drinks, and lipstick.... Researchers began
evaluating different plant oils to determine if they had insecticidal
activity. It was determined that these oils shared a common molecular
structure and that by combining a variety of these plant oils, the
combination could enhance their activity. A patent was granted for this
work. The combination significantly enhanced the effectiveness of these
products without compromising their safety. THESE NEW ACTIVE INGREDIENTS
ARE SO REVOLUTIONARY THAT THEY HAVE GAINED THE INTEREST AND ENDORSEMENT
OF PROMINENT ENTOMOLOGISTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

Green Light Bioganic(R) ... plant oils kill insects by blocking
specific neural pathways [in insects] that don¹t exist in mammals or
birds. These plant oils attack the octopamine neuroreceptors. Octopamine
is a key insect neurotransmitter that regulates insect movement,
behavior, and metabolism. The blockage of the receptor activity prevents
the transmission of the octopamine signals, which leads to certain
characteristic signs of toxicity, such as excitation and hyperextension
in the hind legs and abdomen, followed by immobilization and/or
knockdown, followed by death of the insect. This process will begin
immediately. Mortality in insects can occur within minutes of
application but might take hours depending on the type of insect pest
and concentration of product that contacts the insect directly....
Residues degrade rapidly and are not persistent ... [with] minimal
impact on beneficial insects ... Not phytotoxic ...

The Material Safety Data Sheets for the Bioganic(R) insecticides
state: ³The individual components of this product are known to have low
oral and dermal toxicity. This mixture is expected to have a similar
toxicological profile. Prolonged contact with the skin may cause
irritation.²
Among the target insect pests for the Bioganic(R) products are
these: ants, aphids, caterpillars, centipedes, cockroaches, earwigs,
fleas, flies, gnats, grasshoppers, millipedes, mosquitoes, pillbugs
(sowbugs), spiders, ticks, and whiteflies. Both formulations can be
ordered from the Green Light web site if you can¹t find a local retail
outlet; one quart of the Home & Garden Spray costs $10 plus shipping,
and one quart of the Lawn & Garden Spray costs $12 plus shipping.
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Reprinted with permission from the April 2003 _HortIdeas_. Copyright
2003 by Greg and Pat Williams. HORTIDEAS (ISSN 0742-8219) is published
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--
Bob Batson


"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines"