Using essential oils for Natural mosquito and tick control:
Castor oil for mosquito and tick control
Castor oil is derived from the cold-pressing of the seeds of the castor bean (Ricinus communis). While the traditional process involved cold-pressing unheated castor beans, most modern industrial sources preheat the beans.
The essential oil we use for Stop The Bites! comes from the cold-pressing method.
Castor oil helps to make other essential oils more effective when used against arthropods. As this 2017 study by SK Veena of the Department of Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, India. In this study various vegetable oils were paired with sythentic pesticides to control Chili mites. Castor oil emerged as the best material for increasing the efficacy of pesticides versus sucking pests of chilli plants.
Studies have also shown Castor oil alone has efficacy in a range of arthropods. This study on stored cow peas (purple hulled peas) shows Castor oil has excellent efficacy on Callosobruchus maculatus (cowpea seed beetle).
Also in this study we learn about excellent activity on termites & cockroaches. It was conducted by Asnake G. Ede at Arba Minch University, College of Natural Sciences, in Ethiopia. The study shows 100% mortality on termites after 60 hours and cockroaches after 72 hours. (Separate study by a different group only on termites — here.)
Castor Oil works well when blended with other ingredients to kill mosquitoes and ticks
You can probably tell from reading the research cited above, or other papers you find in research journals, Castor oil is an important supporting player in Stop The Bites!. It has some insecticidal proprieties on its own, but more importantly it helps to enhance the activity of our other ingredients like Lemongrass Oil, Geraniol, & Cedarwood oil.
A lot of research and development has gone into the development of Stop The Bites! rest assured we have done the hard work of formula optimization so that you don’t have to. STB ! is a complete formulation that is ready to pour into your tank and go.