Background: There are many natural compounds of plant origin that have been proven to have insecticide properties. Most essential oils used as pesticides are-broad spectrum with short residual activity and they work by disrupting an insect neurotransmitter that is not present in people, pets, or other vertebrates.
The most common garden pests are aphids, white flies, gnats, caterpillars and mealy bugs.
The claim is that DR. EARTH® FINAL STOP ® VEGETABLE & GARDEN INSECT KILLER kills and control common home garden insects. The active ingredients in this product are essential oils from rosemary, sesame, peppermint, thyme, cinnamon and garlic extract. Essential oils are secondary metabolites produced by many aromatic plants that help them to protect against phytopathogenous insects. (Tripathi et al. 2009) These oils are considered as minimal risk pesticides by the US EPA. (Cavoski et al. 2011).

Objectives: Determine the effect of Dr. Earth Final STOP vegetable & garden insect killer on mortality of common garden pests.

Null hypothesis: mortality is not affected in common home garden insects when sprayed with DR. EARTH® FINAL STOP ® VEGETABLE & GARDEN INSECT KILLER.

Methods:
Treatment 1 - Control: Common home garden insects only.
Treatment 2 – DR. EARTH® FINAL STOP ® VEGETABLE & GARDEN INSECT KILLER concentrate mixed at 2 ounces per gallon of water.
Replication: Five samples for each treatment. Numbers of individuals per replication were variable for each type of insect tested. Test duration was variable depending on the type of insect.
Parameter measured: Mortality (%)

A sample of 10 gr. fresh weight of tomato foliage was placed in each plastic jars (236 ml capacity). Control (treatment 1) jars contained only the live insects. DR. EARTH® FINAL STOP ® VEGETABLE & GARDEN INSECT KILLER (treatment 2) jars contained the same number of insects and was sprayed with DR. EARTH® FINAL STOP ® VEGETABLE & GARDEN INSECT KILLER concentrate mixed at 2 ounces per gallon of water. Each treatment was replicated 5 times with a different insect (aphids, white flies, mites, caterpillars, earwigs, sow bugs and beetles. Containers were stored at room temperature. Mortality was determined by direct count of the dead insects used in this experiment. Results were recorded and analyzed with a t-Test to determine the statistical difference between the two treatments.

Results:
The insecticide DR. EARTH® FINAL STOP ® VEGETABLE & GARDEN INSECT KILLER showed significant effect on mortality of all insects tested. Aphids showed a mortality of 94 %, white flies mortality was of 98 %, mites 97%, earwigs 91%, Sow bugs 94%, beetles 93% and caterpillar’s mortality was 90 %. In conclusion, it is evident that the insecticide based on essential oils and extracts is highly effective to kill common house and garden insects.

References:
Ivana Cavoski, Pierluigi Caboni and Teodoro Miano (2011). Natural Pesticides and Future Perspectives, Pesticides in the Modern World - Pesticides Use and Management, Dr. Margarita Stoytcheva (Ed.), ISBN: 978-953-307-459-7, InTech, Available from:
http://www.intechopen.com/books/pesticides-in-the-modern-world-pesticides-use-and-management/natural-pesticides-and-future-perspectives

Tripathi, A. K. S. Upadhyay, M. Bhuiyan and P.R. Bhattacharya. 2009. A review on prospects of essential oils as pesticide in insect-pest management. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytoteraphy. 1:53-63.

Clemson Extension Service: http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/pests/pesticide/hgic2770.html