Common Sense Control of Insect Pests on Homestead Animals
(Page 4 of 5)
July/August 1971
By R.J. Holliday, DVM
Oil of Citronella is reputed to be an effective mosquito repellent when applied to exposed areas on people. Its application on animals would probably be limited to use around the eyes and ears of horses to keep them from tossing their heads when being worked or ridden in mosquito-infested areas.
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Pine tar has good insect repellent qualities but can be irritating to tissues. It's regular use should be limited to wounds and only occasional application to other places. Pine oil is also effective and is sometimes used as a vehicle for other products.
I hesitate to mention this, but there is an herb that seems to have insect repellent properties. Cannabis Sativa, or wild hemp, grows in clumps to a height of 3 to 12 feet. Cattle sometimes seek it out and lie in the shade of its thicket to escape the pestering of flies. Since the cultivation of this plant is frowned upon by some governmental agencies, it is probably best not to rely on it as your sole means of repelling flies.
Even with adequate attention to the above recommendations, some occasions are sure to arise that will require the use of a product to actually kill insects. If this becomes necessary, it is important to use a drug that will do the job with the least effect on other creatures. This usually involves individual treatment as opposed to subjecting the whole environment to toxic materials. Several products of plant origin are useful in this capacity.
Rotenone is the insecticidal principle found in the Derris plant, native to the East Indies and in Cube plants, native to the Amazon River basin. Relatively harmless to mammals, rotenone is a very effective killer of insects. It is noted for it, "quick-kill" and also for the speed with which it is reduced to harmless substances upon exposure to sunlight or oxygen. This lack of prolonged residual activity is a disadvantage that can be compensated for by more frequent applications.
A white daisy-like flower of the genus Chrysanthemum, and native to ancient Persia (Iran), contains a substance called pyrethrin. Pyrethrin is very similar to rotenone in its effects and use.
Either of these two drugs can be applied as a powder, or mixed in water or oil and used as a spray. A mixture of pine oil and rotenone or pyrethrin is an excellent combination. It has good repellent action as well as efficient "knock-down" effects on the insects with which it comes in contact. The oil also retards the disintegration of the drug and results in a more prolonged activity. Small amounts of this emulsion should be sprayed on your animals with a hand sprayer set to deliver a very fine mist.
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