Insect predators usually arrive on their own, but can be augmented by introducing purchased populations. Lady beetles are the most commonly marketed predator, and often the least useful for introduction, since they tend to fly away when released. It is important to get the proper species for your target pest, and to apply it at the appropriate time in the pest s lifecycle. Horticultural oils and insecticidal soaps are the next weapons in our arsenal. They are often discussed together, but are very different in their actions.
Horticultural oils are petroleum hydrocarbons produced from paraffinic crude oil.
Horticultural oil works by smothering the insect. Leave at least a two-week interval between treatments. Horticultural oils are toxic to fish, but safe for mammals and birds. Insecticidal soaps are made of the potassiums salts of fatty acids. The fatty acids disrupt the structure and permeability of chitin and cell membranes.