Natural Beetle Control on Vegetables

Microbial Pesticides

• Microbes like bacteria and fungi can kill beetles and other insects by causing diseases in them. A bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis (BT), which lives in soil, selectively kills leaf beetles that eat it. Look for sprays, granules or dusts containing BT.
  
  

Insecticidal Soaps

• Insecticidal soaps in spray form kill larger insects like Japanese beetles on contact and cause little harm to beneficial insects or humans. The sprays work for most vegetables.
  
  

Rotenone

• Rotenone dust, one of the oldest botanical or plant insecticides, consists of the ground-up roots of a South American plant called Lonchocarpus. Rotenone kills leaf beetles and other insects by contact as well as by poisoning them. It also can harm animals and has higher toxicity than most botanical and common synthetic pesticides.
  
  

Sabadilla

• Sabadilla dust from sabadilla seeds also acts as a contact and stomach poison on insects like the Mexican bean beetle. Use sabadilla on cucumbers, turnips, cabbage, mustard, collards and beans. Wear a dust mask when applying sabadilla to prevent irritation to your respiratory tract.
  
  

Neem

• Neem spray, among the safest botanical insecticides, comes from extracts of neem tree seeds. Neem appears to discourage beetles from feeding on leaves as well as affecting hormones they need to develop. Use it on any edible plant.