Thyme and Thyme Oil Profile - Active Ingredient Eligible for Minimum Risk Pesticide Use

Summary: Thyme is a commercially important herb cultivated in Mediterranean and temperate climates. The leaves, flowers, and oils extracted from the plant are widely used as food ingredients in a variety of cuisines, and therefore considered safe. For pesticidal purposes, thyme, thyme oil, and its main active constituent thymol have demonstrated anti-microbial, anti-fungal, and insecticidal properties.

Pesticidal Uses: Insects: ants, aphids, armyworms, billbugs, chinch bugs, clothes moths, earwigs, fleas, grasshoppers, ground beetles, leafhoppers, mealybugs; mosquitos, wireworms. Other arthropods: centipedes, millipedes, scorpions, spiders, ticks. Diseases: botrytis in grapes. Applied in ponds, fountains, aquaria as an arthropod repellent and to control mosquito larvae.

Formulations and Combinations: Combined with other herbs, including rosemary oil, lemongrass oil, mint oil, citronella oil, eugenol, wintergreen oil. Formulated with water, alcohol, lecithin, peanut shells, xanthan gum. Also mixed with botanical insecticides registered under §3 of FIFRA, including pyrethrins and neem.