What is Diatomaceous Earth?

Diatomaceous Earth is a non-toxic, safe substance made up from crushed fossils of freshwater organisms and marine life. Crushed to a fine powder and observed through a microscope, the particles resemble bits of broken glass. Deadly to any insect and completely harmless to animals, fish, fowl or food. Most insects have a waxy outer shell covering their bodies, INSECT STOP scratches through this shell causing the insect to dehydrate leading to eventual death.

More and more people are putting diatomaceous earth in their animal feed. Ever wonder why?

"I saw a tremendous improvement in the rate of growth of our young horses." - J.H. Quarter Horses, Poseyville, IN

Diatomaceous Earth mode of action for insect and parasite control is strictly mechanical. The microscopically sharp edges contact the insect or parasite, and pierce their protective coating, so they soon dehydrate and die. The larvae is affected in the same way. This makes Diatomaceous Earth an excellent and totally natural control, with no indicating of mechanical or chemical damage to the animal tissue. It can be used as a dust for fleas, lice and other external pests by rubbing into the coat of the animal.

Both internal and external parasite and insect pest control will result in improvement in health, appearance and behaviour, as well as assimilation of feed, which means improved weight gain and lowered feed cost.

Animal Use - Suggested Feeding and Application Rates:

Diatomaceous Earth can be used as a dust or spray for control of flies and other insects in buildings, on pastures, crops and trees.

Insect Control - Suggested Application Rates:

Dusting: For crops and pastures use 6 to 18 kgs per hectare (6 to 10 kgs. in calm air). Dust after rain, overhead irrigation, or after a heavy dew to increase sticking of the powder. Dust plant upward from the ground, covering all stems, top and underside of leaves. For enclosed area use 1/2 to 3/4 pound per 1000 square feet. Hang dust bags in doorways of barns, milking parlours, etc. Sprinkle in areas where ants and roaches are present or areas in which they run, such as baseboards, under sinks, etc.

In The Row: Use four pounds per acre injected over the seed. Premix Diateasoseus Earth with a wetting agent and water, then add mixture to plantbr.

As a Spray: Mix two pounds per gallon of water with a wetting agent. Rates as low as 1/4 pound per 5 gallons water with a wetting agent have been effective. Be sure to keep mixture agitated.

Trees: Sprinkle liberally on the ground and around tree trunks. Tree trunks can also be painted with a mixture of Diatomaceous Earth, water, flax soap or a wetting agent. This will inhibit migration of various fruit flies (maggot stage), worms and the Japanese Beetle (grub stage). When a spray is desired, refer to spray rates.

Other Uses of Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous Earth is a natural occurring siliceous sedimentary mineral compound from microscopic skeletal remains of unicellular algae-like plants called diatoms. These plants have been part of the earth's ecology since prehistoric times. Diatoms are basic to the oceanic cycle, and the food for minute animal life which in turn becomes the food for higher forms of marine life. As living plants, diatoms weave microscopic shells from the silica they extract from the water, then as they die, deposits are formed and then fossilized in what are now dried lake and ocean beds. The material is then mined, ground and screened to various grades, for the countless uses in today's products and processes, from toothpaste to cigars, plastics to paprika, filter media in swimming pools to home fish tanks, as well as insect and parasite control in animals and grains.

Diatomaceous Earth is a natural (not calcined or flux calcined) compound with many elements which include:

Semi quantitive spectrographic analysis of other elements:

Diatomaceous Earth has a unique combination of physical properties:

High Porosity: Up to eighty-five percent of the volume of Diatomaceous Earth is made up of tiny interconnected pores and volds. It is quite literally more air than diatom.

High Absorption: Diatomaceous Earth can generally absorb up to 1 times, its own weight in liquid and still exhibit the properties of dry powder.

Particle Structure/High Surface Area: Diatom particles are characterized by their very irregular shapes, generally spiny structures and pitted surface area. They average only 5 to 20 microns in diameter, yet have a surface area several times greater than any other mineral with the same particle size. Diatomaceous Earth increases bulk without adding very much weight. These features, it is believed, are what make it an ideal mineral for internal parasite control in animals: It is approved by the USDA up to 2% by weight of total ration for use as an inert carrier or anti-caking agent in animal feed. It is not necessary to use this percent of product on a continual basis. It may be varied to suit individual purposes.

Grain Storage: A rate of seven pounds per ton of grain in barley, buckwheat, corn, wheat, oats, rice, rye, sorghum and mixtures of these grains. It is most effective when grain is treated directly after harvest by coating the outside surface of the gain. This can be done by applying the powder at the elevator or auger when grain is being moved into storage.

When used at proper rates, Diatomaceous Earth has been effective against ants, aphids, bollworm, salt marsh caterpillar, cockroach, cornworm, earwig, house fly, fruit fly, lead perforator, leaf hopper, lygus bug, mite, pink boll weevil, red spider mite, slugs, snail, termites, Japanese beetle (grub stage) and many other insects.

Diatomaceous Earth is a natural grade diatomite. It requires no warning label on the bag or container. However, the continual breathing of any dust should he absolutely avoided.

Agri-Growth International Inc.