How to Use Bt Pesticide as an Organic Pest Control

By Barbara Pleasant
Published on May 7, 2013
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Photo Courtesy Safe Brand
Bt is one of the safest natural pesticides you can use to control caterpillar pests without harming beneficial insects.

This article is part of ourOrganic Pest Control Series, which includes articles on attracting beneficial insects, controlling specific garden pests, and using organic pesticides.

What Is Bt?

Bacillus thuringiensis, often abbreviated as Bt, is a naturally-occurring bacteria that makes pests sick when they eat it. There are two strains commonly used as natural pesticides.

Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (Btk) gives excellent control of leaf-eating caterpillars such as cabbage worms and tomato hornworms, but has no activity against insects that do not eat treated leaves. After the insects eat the bacteria, their guts rupture and they die. Bt is therefore one of the safest natural pesticides you can use in terms of controlling caterpillar pests of vegetables or fruits without harming beneficial insects.

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