Herbs That Kill Maggots

Plume Poppy

• Plume poppy (Macleaya cordata) has shown some effectiveness against flies, mosquitoes and their larvae in scientific studies in China, the plants original habitat. It grows to over six feet tall and the sap from its stems is toxic, both to insects and to humans. A broth of the flowers can be poured on maggots to kill them. Other parts of the plant can be dried and sprinkled in areas where flies occur to kill and repel them, preventing them from laying eggs.
  
  

Para Cress

• Para cress (Spilanthes acmella) is a member of the aster family and is sometimes called the toothache plant for its pepper-like alkaloid compound, Spilanthol. It has been used and studied in India as a larvicide. Those studies have shown that this is an effective larvicidal agent and it has been incorporated into commercial larvicides. It is relatively safe for human handling, in fact it is an ingredient in some commercial cosmetics. Plants are available for order from online garden retailers such as GrowOrganic.com.
  
  

Pyrethrum

• Pyrethrum prevents the insects' eggs from hatching. Pyrethrum is found in marigolds of the Tagetes erecta and Tagetes minuta family, including American marigold, African marigold, Aztec or Mexican marigold. It is considered non-toxic to adult mammals. It is a primary ingredient in many commercial pesticides. Marigolds have been used for killing and repelling insects for centuries. Dried and crumbled marigold flowers can be sprinkled in areas where flies congregate repelling flies and killing the larvae.
  
  

Terpenoids

• Also present in marigolds are compounds know as terpenoids. These chemicals have a good record as fly repellents and larvicidal agents. Marigold flowers picked fresh and sprinkled in areas where flies might lay eggs will prevent them from doing so and may kill larvae already there. Terpenoids are abundant in pot marigolds (Tagetes calendula).