A Community and Forum For Aquaponic Gardeners

They Die Happy: Ethanol a Potential new Pest Management Tool

IPM is Integrated Pest Management. Because aquaponics is an ecosystem approach to agriculture, pest control can be difficult. However, what if there was a method for IPM spot treatment that killed insects well, leaves no residue, is biodegradable and is of low toxicity to plants and fish? There is and we use it every day. It is called ethanol.

Here is the link: http://bit.ly/29tIjTe

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Timothy Borg on July 19, 2016 at 11:53am

So, just spray bugs with Everclear and it kills them??

Permalink Reply by Dr. George B. Brooks, Jr. on July 19, 2016 at 2:07pm

Yup. Give it a try. Use a narrow spray directly on the bug and use as little as possible to do the job. Try to keep it out of the water and off the leaves. Though it is of low toxicity to fish and leaves and fully biodegradable, caution is always the best policy. Try to get the ventral surface (bottom) of the insect wet. They die happy but it takes a minute or so. They keep moving till they kind of freeze in place. Big hornworms get drunk and may sway for some time but they eventually die as well.