Photo courtesy of stevenreyna09 at flickr.com.
Sabadilla, a dust derived from the South American sabadilla lily (Schoencaulon officinale), makes an effective organic pesticide. While it can cause eye irritation and sneezing in humans, it’s probably the least toxic of all organic pesticides to us. To many insects, however, it acts as a deadly contact poison; it can be dusted directly on a plant’s foliage, and is effective against stink bugs, leafhoppers, thrips, caterpillars, and squash bugs.
A line of sabadilla dust will also repel slugs, snails, and other crawling pests. Ask your neighborhood garden store employee for pesticides containing sabadilla, or look for mixtures containing either sabadilla or veratrine, the active ingredient in sabadilla.