Public Use of Diatomaceous Earth

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Diatomaceous Earth for Insect Control: When to Re-Apply

Red Lake Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth is currently registered as an anti-caking agent and flow aid for use in livestock feed (not to exceed 2% of an animal’s daily intake of feed). However, many people have found that it works well to kill pests including fleas, ticks, mites, ants, silverfish, bed bugs and most other crawling insects.

RLE powder is often used inside the house, in the yard and garden and applied directly to pets for pest control. (Please see: Red Lake Diatomaceous Earth: Garden Application, How to Apply Diatomaceous Earth to Your Animal, and Diatomaceous Earth: Is This A Super-Product? for suggested instructions on how to apply the product.) While the product is only effective when dry, it can become wet and continue to function as before once it has dried out. In fact, Red Lake Earth can become wet and dry out an infinite number of times without losing its ability to lacerate and kill crawling insects.

Once the product has been applied it will continue to work unless it is washed or blown away. Due to the fact that the powder is very light and easily washed away, be sure to re-apply outside after a rain or wind storm. As well, if you have applied the product to your pet it should be re-applied after bathing.

Image by fPat

Diatomaceous Earth As A Natural Insecticide: An Accidental Discovery

Diatomaceous earth has been used for thousands of years. In fact, over 4,000 years ago the Chinese and Egyptians used DE to preserve various foods including grains, nuts, legumes and seeds and protect them from moisture, mold and pests.

However, the use of diatomaceous earth as a natural insecticide was not acknowledged by humans in recent times until 1958 in Phoenix, Arizona (animals, on the other hand, have been using dust for this purpose for millions of years).

Louis de Lisle, an inventor, believed that he had discovered a way to make synthetic gems. During one of his many visits to Louis’ small, fly infested workshop, to watch and take part in this discovery, Neil Clark made a shocking discovery. He noticed that every time Louis crushed a certain material in to a powder the flies in the workshop disappeared. This material was diatomaceous earth.

Using Red Lake Earth to Keep Insects from Entering Your Home

While Red Lake Earth cannot prevent insects from entering your home, it can help to kill nearly any crawling insect as it enters.

Food grade diatomaceous earth, such as Red Lake Earth, must come in contact with an insect in order for it to kill it. Therefore, it is important to spread the powder in any area where crawling insects may enter your home. As they walk across the DE, the razor-sharp edges of the diatoms will rub against the insect’s body and stick to its waxy outer shell. Eventually, as the particles continue to lacerate the insect’s exoskeleton and the powdery DE dehydrates the insect, it will die.

For information on how long DE may take to kill insects please see: How Long Does Diatomaceous Earth Take to Kill Insects?

For a list of insects that DE is most effective against please see: The Effectiveness of Diatomaceous Earth: Insect List

When sprinkling diatomaceous earth around your home be sure to keep it to areas where it will not be disturbed and kicked up in to the air. Spread the DE along window sills, door frames, along the foundation of your home as well as in any other cracks or crevices where insects might try to enter.

It is very important that you use only food grade diatomaceous earth (and not pool grade) for this purpose.

Image by Aaron Escobar ♦ (the spaniard)™

Diatoms: Plants or Animals?

When they were first discovered in 1702, it was believed that diatoms were tiny animals. In fact, unlike other algae, diatoms do exhibit many animal-like behaviors. No two diatoms are identical. Each organism extracts and ingests silica from the water around it, creating a unique structure that is used for support, locomotion and protection. Unlike animals, diatoms contain chlorophyll and give off oxygen. In fact, together diatom populations produce approximately 80% of the world’s oxygen! Diatoms, although they exhibit some animal-like characteristics, have been classified by scientists as plants.

Image by hoyasmeg

Stall DRY vs. Kitty Litter: Differences and Similarities

Stall DRY is made from a natural blend of diatomaceous earth and calcium bentonite. This makeup is similar to many of the Absorbent Products Ltd.’s cat litter products however, Stall DRY does not contain the sodium bentonite that is present in clumping cat litter. The lack of this ingredient makes Stall DRY safe to use with all types of animals, even if consumed.

Stall DRY is ground to a specific granulation in order to be highly effective for liquid absorption and odor control. In fact, Stall DRY provides better absorption than cat litter due to the large surface area provided by this finer granulation. Cat litter can absorb up to 100% of its own weight in liquid while Stall DRY, produced for use with larger animals, is able to absorb up to 140% of its weight in liquid!

Image by ell brown

Adding Red Lake Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth to Your Litter Box

Adding Red Lake Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth to your litter box can help to naturally absorb liquids and odors, helping to keep your litter box fresh.

To benefit from this addition to your litter box, simply spread a layer of RLE, approximately half an inch thick, on the bottom of the box and pour your litter over top.

If your litter box is already filled with litter, mix the Red Lake Diatomaceous Earth in with the product. For use with clumping litter, sprinkle only a small amount of RLE in (as you do not want the clumping ability of the litter to be effected by the diatomaceous earth). However, when using diatomaceous earth with traditional, non-clumping litter, mix in as much as you’d like.

Image by SoraZG

Stall DRY for Foaling Mares

Stall DRY is known for its amazing absorptive qualities as well at its ability to naturally reduce odors and ammonia. Composed of diatomaceous earth and calcium rich montmorillonite, Stall DRY is a natural product that is safe to use around all of your animals, even if it is ingested.

Stall DRY can be used in your barn, stalls and coops at all times including during the birth of a foal.

Simply apply a thin layer of Stall DRY (approximately 5 lbs per 10’x10’ area) under your usual stall bedding or sprinkle the product on top. This will help to absorb liquids, keeping the stall as mess free as possible during the birth of a new foal.

When using Stall DRY for the birth of a foal, be sure to clean up the wet product after use.

For more tips on how to use Stall DRY please see: Providing a Clean and Safe Environment for Your Animals: The Stall DRY Method

Image by StuartWebster

Benefits of Trace Minerals in Red Lake Diatomaceous Earth

According to Tui Rose, author of Going Green Using Diatomaceous Earth How-To Tips, there are several advantages to feeding animals diatomaceous earth containing trace minerals.

These advantages include:

• Improved metabolism and digestion including increased absorption of protein from their diets
• Greater weight gain with less feed consumption
• Protection of albumen in the stomach
• Protection against harmful acids in the stomach
• Improved appetite
• Prevention of corral gnawing and geophagy, or dirt eating (for more information on geophagy please see: Why Do Animals Eat Dirt?)
• Increased stamina due to a build up of blood cells, tissues and bones
• Absorption of dangerous sediments in the intestinal tract
• Improved general health (ex. shinier coat)
• Improves disposition and reduced stress
• No contamination of milk, meat or eggs
• Increased milk production
• Cleansing and detoxifying of the internal tract
• Prevention of impaction and elimination of parasites in the colon

Red Lake Earth comes from a fresh water deposit of diatomaceous earth and calcium rich montmorillonite. It contains various micro and macro minerals that are essential for good health. In fact, feeding RLE to your animals is much like using brown bread over white bread, due to the added benefit of the micro and macro minerals that are contained in this darker colored DE.

Image by InspireKelly

APL: Environmentally Conscious with Climate Smart

Developed in 2007, Climate Smart began as a program of Ecotrust Canada. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Climate Smart is a social enterprise that empowers and enables organizations to reduce their carbon footprint while strengthening their businesses and building a sustainable future.

To date, they have trained more than 550 business, worked with over 25 host partners, delivered programs in both Canada and the US and built a growing network of expert trainers.

As a leading manufacturer and distributor of clay based (diatomaceous earth and bentonite) agricultural products, industrial absorbents and pet litter products, Absorbent Products Ltd. believes in innovation and environmentally friendly practices. In order to reduce our carbon footprint, APL has worked with Climate Smart to become a 2012 Climate Smart Alumni. As part of an overall plan to significantly reduce our emissions, we will be upgrading our product dryer, replacing our existing extruder with a newer model and re-insulating a large storage warehouse.

For a complete list of Climate Smart Alumni please visit: climatesmartbusiness.com/alumni

Join us in an environmentally friendly and sustainable tomorrow, become Climate Smart!

Image by epSos.de

The Invention of Kitty Litter

George Pitt was the first to begin packaging the ashes from burned wood for use in cat litter boxes. This worked, however, cat owners found that this created quite a mess, as their pets tracked the ash all around the house.

When asked by his neighbor for a replacement for these ashes, Edward Lowe suggested the use of an absorbent clay. This worked wonderfully, and so, kitty litter was born!

In 1947 Edward Lowe, who, after serving in the US Navy from 1941 to 1945, worked for his father selling industrial absorbents, began packaging the clay in 5 lb bags to sell in a local pet store as “kitty litter”. While the store owner was not convinced that the product would sell, especially for 65 cents per bag, Edward was a determined man who believed that this product would be successful. He talked the store owner in to displaying his “kitty litter” and giving it away. As Edward expected, the customers soon began coming back to purchase more!

After this first success, Edward Lowe continued to distribute kitty litter from the back of his car while traveling around the country. Edward would even clean the cat boxes at cat shows in exchange for booth space in order to demonstrate his kitty litter at the shows.

Eventually, Edward Lowe Industries, Inc. was founded to mass produce and distribute Edward’s successful kitty litter products.

Image by Mingo.nl