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This Week's Experiment - #327 Safe Insecticide
I spent some time this week helping Lisa with her flowers. This time
of year, the insects really chew on the plants, so we have been battling them.
Some of the pests require commercial chemicals to kill, but often Lisa uses
things from the kitchen. To make an environmentally friendly insecticide,
you will need:
a 2 liter soda bottle
dish detergent
water
a spray bottle
a teaspoon measure
Add 4 teaspoons of dish washing detergent to the soda bottle. Then fill it
with water. Put on the cap and shake it a bit to mix. Then pour it into
the spray bottle. Use this to spray plants that are infested with aphids, mealy bugs, or other insect pests.
How does something so simple work? It has to do with the way insects
breath. Instead of breathing through a nose and mouth, insects breath through holes in their abdomen called spiracles. Imagine what it would be like if you
had holes along your waist that you breathed through. The body of the insect
is covered with a waterproof cuticle layer. That causes water to flow off the
insect, so it does not drown. The soap solution sticks to this cuticle
instead of flowing off. The cuticle layer actually pulls the soap solution
into
the spiracles to drown the insect.
For the spray to work it must be sprayed onto the insect, so it can reach the
spiracles. Just spraying a spot where the insects will walk does not work.
Still, if you spray directly onto the creatures, the soap solution will kill
ants, roaches, crickets, aphids, and many other insects. It will also kill
spiders, so be careful not to spray these useful, pest-controling creatures.
It is not dangerous to birds, lizards, snakes, younger brothers, or other
similar creatures. Still, you should not spray your younger brother, even if
he
does normally avoid soapy water.
Have a wonderful week.
These experiments are from Robert Krampf - The Happy Scientist
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