Nature’s Insect Solution

When in doubt, follow Mother Nature’s lead. That’s the advice an increasing number of homesteaders, ranchers, and acreage property owners are following for mosquito and caterpillar control.

Bacillus thuringiensis, commonly known as Bt, is a species of naturally occurring bacteria that lives in the soil. This microscopic Bt bacterium makes a protein called cryprotein, which kills specific insect larvae. When these targeted larvae eat the toxic protein, it breaks down their gut and the larvae soon die of starvation.

Different strains of Bt target specific insects. For example, Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis ((Bti) targets and kills mosquito larvae, while Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (Btk) kills caterpillars, the larval stage of adult butterflies and moths.

Chemical-Free Insect Control

Using naturally occurring bacteria to control specific insect pests can significantly reduce the use of chemical pesticides on acreage properties.

“When you use Bti and Btk to kill mosquito larvae and caterpillars, respectively, you are using biological controls, not harsh chemicals,” Jonathan Cohen, president of Summit Responsible Solutions said. “Insects do not build up resistance to biological pest controls the way they can when chemical pesticides are repeatedly used.”

The Discovery of Bti

The Bti bacterium was discovered in 1976 in a stagnant pond in the Negev Desert of Israel. Testing showed Bti was toxic to mosquito, black fly, and fungus gnat larvae. Further testing demonstrated that Bti is not toxic to humans, mammals, birds, fish, beneficial insects, or plants.

The discovery of Bti proved that Mother Nature had an all-natural, nonchemical way to keep mosquito populations under control.

Bti and Mosquito Control

Mosquitoes transmit some of the most deadly and debilitating diseases —including West Nile virus, dengue fever, and Eastern Equine Encephalitis. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. So, eliminating standing water has long been an important part of mosquito and disease control.

Obviously, it is impossible to eliminate all standing water on ranch and acreage properties. But that’s where BTI comes in. When Bti is present in water, mosquito larvae feed on the Bti and die — long before they can grow up to become flying, biting, disease-spreading adults.

Bti is the active ingredient in Mosquito Dunks, the best-selling natural mosquito larvicide. When a donut-shaped Mosquito Dunk is placed in water, the Bti will kill mosquito larvae in up to 100 square feet of surface area for 30 days or more.

How Do Mosquito Dunks Work?

To kill mosquito larvae in ponds, animal watering troughs, stock tanks, and low spots in the landscape where water collects, simply drop in a Mosquito Dunk. As the Dunk floats on the top and slowly dissolves, it releases the Bti into the water. Mosquito larvae in the water eat the Bti spores, which release toxins into the larvae’s digestive systems. This causes a larva to stop eating. It dies before becoming a pupa.

Under National Organic Program guidelines, Mosquito Dunks are approved for organic production and organic gardening. The EPA has registered Mosquito Dunks for use in animal watering troughs and fish habitats. If a wild animal or a pet eats a Mosquito Dunk or drinks water treated with Bti, it essentially gets a large dose of protein and calcium.

There are approximately 2,500 species of mosquitoes. The Bti in Mosquito Dunks will kill the larvae of ALL these species. In smaller amounts of water, such as birdbaths and rain barrels, smaller Mosquito Dunk Chunks can be used.

Bti is also available in a granulated form in a product called Mosquito Bits. These granules can be used to kill mosquito larvae in swampy areas and anywhere that water periodically collects.

Btk for Caterpillar Control

Btk is the strain of Bacillus thuringiensis that targets caterpillars. When webworms and caterpillars eat foliage sprayed with Btk, they immediately stop feeding until they die of starvation.

Btk can be used weekly to effectively control leaf-feeding caterpillars including bagworms, tent caterpillars, tomato hornworms, cabbage loppers, spring cankerworms, fall webworms, sod webworms, gypsy moths and more.

Summit Biological Caterpillar & Webworm Control is an OMRI Listed Btk spray that is approved for organic gardening. Summit Biological Caterpillar and Webworm Control may be used on edible plants, fruits and vegetables right up to the day of harvest.

Mosquito Dunks, Mosquito Bits and Summit Biological Caterpillar & Webworm Control are available at hardware stores, ranch stores, home centers and online retailers. For more information visit SummitResponsibleSolutions.com.

About the Author:

Randy Schultz is the content editor for HomeGardenandHomestead.com, a website for gardeners and homesteaders.