I have used the solution of one gallon of water with one tablespoon of cooking oil and one tablespoon of dishwashing soap on my trees to rid them of various pests. I keep this solution in a one gallon container and add it to a spray bottle when I need to
use it. Lately I have noticed that some are adding a couple of caps of rubbing alcohol to the solution in the spray bottle. Then they say if at a later date they reuse the original solution that was in the spray bottle they need to add more rubbing alcoh
ol back to that solution because it has evaporated. I have two questions: 1. How can the alcohol evaporate from an enclosed container? 2. I can imagine but what exactly does the oil, soal and alcohol do to the pests?

Bill Watkins

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I can imagine but what exactly does the oil, soal and alcohol do to the pests?

Bill Watkins

The alcohol and soap reduce the surface tension of the water, which allows the solution to coat the insect, whose exoskelton is otherwise too hydrophobic to get "wet". The oil coats the insect, clogging the pores with which it breathes, causing it to smot
her.

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Lisa Kanis++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++