Essential Oils that Pests Hate

The very mention of essential oils flashes the image of natural beauty therapies and deeply relaxing spa sessions. Many of you can relate to it, isn't so? What if we tell you that the essential oils that you add to your beauty regime for tackling the concerns of skin and hair can be very good pest repellent.

Yes, the scope of essential oils goes far beyond treating your beauty concerns and sensitizing your mood. The smell that feels soothing fragrance to your nostrils is an intolerable odour to the pests you wish to get rid of. Don’t you feel like using it in the favour of your property?

How if you may ask, let us get the answer for you here.

Understanding Essential Oils

Essential oils are chemical compounds (the essence of the fragrance associated with the plant it is derived from) extracted from different parts of a plant (like fruits, and flowers). The extraction of the concentrated liquid happens via distillation or steaming mostly.

The use of different types of essential oils is common for making cosmetics, personal care products, perfumes, air fresheners, and food/beverage flavouring agents.

Some examples of popular essential oils used commonly are Tea Tree, Lavender, Rosemary, Cedarwood, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Lemon, Rose, and Clove essential oils. There are others but these are used popularly for a range of purposes.

The Scope of Essential Oils As Pet Repellents

Many types of research have been conducted so far to establish whether or not essential oils cast deterring effects on pests. Reportedly, Arthropods and Insects react sharply to these and hardly can withstand the strong smell for long. Other than just repelling and impacting their digestion, even the death of pests on the consumption of the oil is possible in some cases.

Recently, more studies are being conducted to understand its scope as a “green pesticide” as it doesn’t harm crops, house plantations, pets, and humans other than the creepy pests.

DEET is an effective mosquito repellent as studies indicate the fact that certain essential oils can do the job of it quite well. There is a rising trend for encouraging the use of essential oils as green pesticides more than synthetic ones for their ecological benefits. It is not harmful to our environment. Organic farmers are being encouraged to use it.

Deadly Combination for Different Pests

COCKROACHES

Peppermint, Tea Tree and Eucalyptus essential oils mixed together with water and sprayed at roach infected zones can help you immensely with the issue. For every 3-4 ounces of water add 5 drops of all the three essential oils. Make the solution in the quantity you need. Make a small batch. Dip cotton balls in the solution and keep them at places where you suspect their activities more.

ANTS

Peppermint and Lemon essential oils are deadly combinations for chasing off the creepy little ants marching fearless across your property. Take half a cup of water and add 10-15 drops of peppermint oil and half the number of drops of lemon oil. Spray it areas you suspect insects are trekking joyfully. You can also try tea tree oil.

MOSQUITOES

Make a solution using Lemongrass, Tea Tree, Peppermint and Citronella essential oils to prepare your natural mosquito repellent. Mix 12 ounces of water with 15 drops of Lemongrass and Citronella each with 10 drops of Peppermint and Tea Tree oils.

Spray into the air with windows and doors closed.

SPIDERS

Spiders are known to react sharply to the odour of Peppermint and Spearmint. You can take either of the two and 15 drops of it to around 12 ounces of water. Spray it at areas they are living in on their web.

You can also use eucalyptus, Cedarwood, Citronella, and Lavender oils.

Summing up

Tea Tree oils, Eucalyptus oils, Peppermint oils, and Lavender oils are a few essential oils that find common applications in most solutions effective for repelling maximum pests possible.

Use them to chase them off. But, if the infestation is too deep to deal with home-based tactics, call for pest controllers immediately.

"Two Little Creepy Pest Species in Australia: Smaller in Size but Seriously Annoying", read our previous blog.

An Overall Glimpse of Australia's Pest Situation

Different types of pest harbouring in Australia cost the continent billions of dollars annually. The massacre is prominent in the production spheres and irreparable environmental damage besides risking the lives of innumerable native species across the continent.

Pest Population in Australia

The Flora and fauna of Australia are indeed iconic, and versatile adding more to its thriving biodiversity. Sadly, it also is home to arrays of troublesome pests that can prove to be quite dangerous to its delicate ecosystem balance.

Not all pests indeed pose threats to humans and nature like bees. Nevertheless, several pests are fairly harmful or maybe deadly at times.

Usually less dangerous yet menacing pests that keep the pest controllers in Australia preoccupied are cockroaches, mice, possums, spiders, insects, ants, etc. Venomous spiders are also not uncommon. These pests dwell across a variety of atmospheric conditions and environments.

The Colossal Calamity

Pests cause huge damage to us, ruining our food production and leading to food crises in extreme cases. Who in Australia needs a reminder of the precarious situation during a rat plague?

It completely jeopardizes our natural cropping system, and adversely affects the quality of living across the continent. Rural or urban, the signs of the massacre are vividly prominent everywhere when a rat plague hits us here. Besides damaging our agricultural produce and food production, it parasites our livestock and brings health hazards to humans.

The Consequence

The accessibility to and availability of food is seriously compromised as they damage our agricultural produce. The noticeable gap between the shortage of supply and the usual damage leads to a compromising food security situation.

Plus, stored products insects and pests contaminate and waste finished products (instant edible food items) in food storage units, food stores, and outlets.

This results in food inflation, which further puts the people in a miserable situation. Reports also indicate that it causes a shift to the usual food preference of the population.

Food premises happen to offer ideal living conditions for pestering creatures to live and reproduce. Local eateries, restaurants, and food outlets are some of such places where pests can easily multiply if left uncontrolled. It can cast a severe impact and cause utter consequences to the health of the consumers.

Pest Control & Urban Dwellings

The design and construction of the building play crucial roles in launching a proper pest control attack on the nuisances. Both the external and internal layout along with the building construction material has to be such that discourages pest harbourage of any kind via ensuring the blockage of their access.

The design and planning of the pipe system and drain (the gutter), vents, and windows need special attention. Proper and timely maintenance of the building after construction and occupancy adds to the protection against pests initiative further.

Pest Infection, Pest Treatment, and Pest Disinfection by professional pest controllers right from the onset of the issue help minimize the damages significantly. On-site review, consultancy and pest prevention measures beforehand ensure eliminating the scope of infestation ever.

Wrapping up

The encouraging factors that are prominent are hassle-free food accessibility, humid atmosphere, negligence of people in keeping clean messed up hideouts at home/offices/shops, etc.

Pest control tactics might not be spectacularly effective in combatting the rat plague, but they can minimize and sideline other aggravating pest situations considerably.

"Mouse Plague: A Terror to Australia", a blog to read.