How It Works

How Diatomaceous Earth Works

Our Diatomaceous Earth is 100% pure and is totally organic and safe.

It contains less than 1% of Crystal & Silicon.

Some of the uses for Diatomaceous Earth include; household pets, gardens, flowerbeds, field crops, grain storage

and livestock feeding and for internal parasites of humans and animals.

Diatomaceous Earth is Mother Nature’s product that is harmless to the environment, pets or to people.

Diatomaceous Earth is not an earth, it is the fossilized remains of microscopic shells created by one celled plants called DIATOMS.

Diatomaceous Earth kills by physical action, not chemical by puncturing the insect’s exoskeleton and absorbing its body fluids,

thus posing no harm to warm-blooded life. Moreover, on any surface, these natural pesticide products have a remarkable repellency factor.

As long as it is present, insects tend to stay away, making a serious infestation unlikely. Also, the more it is used the more an environment

is created that tends to make insects unwelcome.

How Diatomaceous Earth works – use it for pest control of Chicken mites and fleas, cockroaches, silverfish, ants, bedbugs, flies in manure and smell control,

fleas, caterpillars, scorpions, grass hoppers and many others.

Ultra Fine Diatomaceous Earth can be used in and around the home on pets. For human and pet consumption. Our Livestock grade can be

used in the yard, animal housing, gardening in the soil chicken pens and coops, dog beds and fed to livestock etc.

How Diatomaceous Earth Works?

One vulnerability most insects share is the danger of drying out. Their exoskeleton – the hard outer “shell” most adult insects have – safeguards their internal moisture. Inert (“safe”) dusts such as DE are effective pesticides because they absorb water – protecting fats and oils from the epicuticle

(outer layer) of the exoskeleton, thereby disabling its moisture-retaining ability. The insect essentially dehydrates. DE works mechanically, not chemically, and it will remain effective as long as it’s undisturbed.

DE is unique among inert dusts because of its abrasive properties.

The microscopically sharp edges of diatoms abrade the epicuticle, enhancing the dehydrating effect.

The use of inert dusts to control insects has been around for thousands of years.

Ancient cultures around the world used them to protect stored grains against pantry pests like moths and beetles. The same mode of action is used by birds or other animals that take dust baths – they are ridding themselves of their arthropod parasites.

In our extremely arid climate, DE’s effectiveness is maximized because it is not limited by high humidity, and insects will desiccate more rapidly for lack of readily available water. Unlike most synthetic pesticides, DE won’t break down in the presence of sun or heat, so it provides long lasting control.

How Safe Is DE?

DE may be processed and graded for pest control on grains (“food grade”)orfor crack and crevice type pest treatments. DE for crack and crevice pest treatments includes trace amounts of pyrethrin pesticides and other chemical synergists, whereas food grade DE is 100% diatomaceous earth without any added chemicals. Both food grade DE and that labeled for pest control will work to kill pests through desiccation; however, the crack and crevice DE containing pesticides and other ingredients gives an additional rapid kill effect.

Food grade DE is non-toxic and high purity forms are safe for human consumption, sold under the general name “Fossil Shell Flour”. It is even allowable on “organic” labeled foods by the United States Department of Agriculture. The names and labels for food grade DE and general pest control DE are often very similar, so labels should be read carefully.

DE is U.S. EPA registered under several different product names; however, for the purposes of pest control, DE is rated with a “caution” label (the lowest level of toxicity based on a three-tier system assigned by the EPA: caution-lowest toxicity, warning-middle, danger-highest toxicity).

NOTE: Pool filter grade DE is processed differently – it is not amorphous, but rather contains crystallized silica (formed when DE is exposed to high heat). Such forms of DE are carcinogenic and not recommended for use in pest control.

Because DE is a fine dust, even food-grade forms may pose a hazard to health if inhaled.

If dusting large areas best to use a dust mask.

https://www.fossilpower.com.au/research/

http://www.regional.org.au/au/asa/2010/crop-production/soil-biology-nutrition/7055_matichenko.htm