How Cedarwood Oil Kills Bugs
In case our name didnโt give it away, cedarwood oil is the driving force behind our pest control products here at Cedarcide. So naturally, the obvious question is: How does it work? How does cedarwood oil (aka cedar oil) kill bugs? While the answer can get a bit technical, there are 6 basic ways cedarwood oil works to kill and repel pests like fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, ants, mites and more. Hereโs a simple outline of each one.
Most bugs are extremely sensitive to moisture loss, which is bad news for bugs that come into contact with cedarwood oil. Cedarwood oil is extremely effective at leaching moisture from insects and other bugs, leaving them dried out and eventually dead.
Pheromones are chemicals that many bugs use for navigation, mating, searching for food, as well as to regulate bodily functions. Cedarwood oil disrupts these pheromones which not only disorients the insects but interferes with their fundamental bodily processes like breathing. The disorientation helps repel insects and other bugs, the interference with their bodily mechanisms kills them.
Insects in earlier life stagesโeggs, larvae, pupaeโare extremely vulnerable, so vulnerable in fact that cedarwood oil can dissolve them on contact. In adult insects, arachnids and other bugs, cedarwood oil helps dissolve their exoskeleton. This allows the essential oil to penetrate their shell, hastening the oilโs pest control effects.
Emulsification, or the breakdown of fat particles, is another way that cedarwood oil works to control bugs. Like many organisms, bugs require fat to live. By helping disintegrate this fat into smaller, more fluid parts, cedarwood oil attacks bugs from the inside out.
As mentioned above, cedarwood oil can interfere with bugs’ capacity to breathe. Unlike mammals, bugs breathe through openings located on the surface of their bodies. When faced with the lethal effects of cedarwood oil, bugs attempt to limit their exposure by closing these openings, which prevents them from breathing. In other words, the bugs suffocate themselves.
Like most every living thing, bugs must maintain a specific chemical balance to stay alive. Any drastic changes in this balance can have deadly results. Cedarwood oil neutralizes the acidity within bugsโ bodies, effectively throwing this balance out of whack. As a result they cannot properly function, and shortly die.
Will cedar oil kill earthworms? I have a lot of robins in my yard that eat worms.
Hi, Joyce!
Our products do not usually kill earthworms, no.
We get a cricket invasion into the house every fall plus have countless ticks and mosquitos. Is it effective against the crickets?
Hi there!
Although we only have testing for fleas, ticks, mites, and mosquitoes, in our customers’ experience our products work on almost any unwanted bug when sprayed directly ๐
Our area [Maine] is dealing with a huge outbreak of Brown Tail [moth] Caterpillars. They have toxic hairs that create a bad rash, potentially can be inhaled causing respiratory issues for some, and defoliate Oaks and fruit trees like crazy.
We are in the caterpillar stage right now.
Will the PCO Choice I use for ticks be of any use in killing or interupting this horrible insects??
Thanks in advance!
Hi, Zelma
Yep! Our products can really help against those little monsters.
How often do I need to apply to my dog? Will I feel this spray on her coat? Will it feel greasy, sticky…?
Hi, Rosa!
For dogs that go outside often, daily or every other day. For mostly indoor dogs, every 3-4 days should do the trick. And nope, no greasy or sticky feeling, this product dries quickly and does not stain ๐
Tips for successful removal of springtails? Indoor and out. Thanks!
Rachel,
Simple solution for you: Cedarcide Original for indoors, and Lawn & Garden Kit for outdoors.
How do you apply this to large long hair dogs? Must it cover all skin? Or just a spritz over all of dog? Same question for people. We too live in the woods and twice last week my three year old grand daughter came back in with a tick. How do I use the cedarcide on us people?
Great questions,
Here’s a video showing how to use Cedarcide Original on your dog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2W00OxsXTI
You simply spray all over, massage the solution into their coat, and use your hands to apply to their face,
Cedarcide Original is also for use directly on people and indoors to kill and repel bugs. For yourself, you would just spray it all over like you would a traditional bug spray ๐
How does it smell?
Hi, Kimberly
It smells like a cedar closet, or a refreshing stroll in the woods. It’s very pleasant ๐
I am fighting an mite infestation. If I use the fogger, will the residue afterwards affect my parrot? While I know Cedar Oil is toxic to birds, I’m unsure how fogging will affect him afterwards.
Hi, Debbie!
You would certainly want to remove the bird during the fogging. While you can return after 3-4 hours, we’d let the house air out for at about a day before reintroducing the parrot.
I have a carpenter ant infestation in a ridge beam of my cabin. Can cedarcide stop them?
Hi, Phil
Cedarcide can absolutely stop them, try Cedarcide Original ๐
Would like to use near my pond. Any adverse effects on pond or wildlife?
Hi, Cheryl.
Thankfully, our products are designed to be eco-friendly. We just suggest doing your best to avoid overspray into the pond, as cedarwood oil, our active ingredient, can be harmful to aquatic life at certain doses.
I use Cedarcide Yard guard and granular on my yard all the time. This is the first year I am growing tomatoes, peppers and squash in pots. I know you are not to water over the top of tomatoes, but can the granular cedar be put in the pots of vegetables just on top of the soil?
Shirley!
Great question. Yes you can certainly use the Cedar Granules that way, both in indoor planters and outdoor, too.
I feed many types of birds in the yard, with several feeders set up (I’m in NH), I’m concerned about the effect this product would have on them? I have turkeys that peck at the ground, birds on bird feeders knock seeds down, I have hummingbirds and squirrels, etc, Will these products hurt them if used around the yard?
Also, I would love to rid my yard of ticks and mosquitoes but I have no desire to kill everything in the yard. I like the good bugs, spiders, dragonflies, monarch butterflies and all the others, etc., I also have frogs and toads that come through. Is is possible to effectively use your product(s) without harming the good ones? Thank you
Great questions!
We don’t like harming beneficial bugs and other creatures either. As long as you don’t spray them directly it will not harm any of these animals. However you are likely to see less spiders and reptiles given that they feed on many of the bugs our products will kill and repel. Let us know if we can be of any more help ๐
Follow up to this.. will your product attract any unwanted bugs like wasps? I ask because Iโve used products that get rid of one bug but attract another. Hoping this wonโt happen with this! Having a problem with spiders and ticks in my yard and want to try this out. Thanks!
Hi, Sam!
Nope! Our products will absolutely not attract any other bugs ๐
Hi! Will these harm my monarch butterflies and caterpillars? I have my milkweeds in a seperate area.
As long as you do not spray them directly, our products will not harm beneficial bugs like bees and butterflies ๐
We are having a bad elm seed bugs in Colorado. Would your product work on these bugs?
Hi, Jenny!
We have not tested for that pest specifically, but we have heard from customers that our products can help with these ๐
how often would you recommend to re apply cedarcide to the lawns for ticks when dealing with rain season ?
great question!
Our lawn products, Yardsafe and PCO Choice, should be applied monthly for prevention and more often as needed for heavy, ongoing infestations. Rain does not usually cause any issue with the product unless it’s a very heavy rain that causes flooding or lots of standing water in your lawn, in which case you would need to apply again.
I have a an outdoor misting system thatโs on a timer and was installed to help keep the mosquitos at bay.
Iโm looking for two things:
1. The ratio of Cedar-wood Oil to water. ( 55 gallon plastic drum is used to store solution)
2. Cost to ship Cedar-wood to zip 66062.
Thank you!
Great questions, Derek.
Give us a call at 800-842-1464 and we’ll get this figured out for you ๐
will the cleaning oils kill mites I am looking for something to clean out all my cabinets.Also do you have any thing with Cloves to clean ?this web site is amazing.would I have to wear a mask when I use cedarcide ?
Hi Dorothy,
Cedarcide Original is the product you want for killing mite. Cleanliness is vital to mite control so our cleaning products should help to some degree as well. And you would not need a mask to apply either of these products. We do not have any clove-based leaning products at this time, but we do carry close essential oil which you could use to mix up your own. Here’s the link: https://www.cedarcide.com/product/clove-essential-oil/
I have an imported wooden dresser that seems to have a wood beetle infestation. I can hear the clicking noises, but donโt see any sawdust. Would the cedar oil be something I could use on this piece and if so, how would this be done.
Hi, Mary!
Great question. Cedarcide Original is the product you want, and you would just need to find a way to apply it to them directly ๐
I first learned of Cedarcide when I had a bedbug issue. Your site was very informative about how to get rid of them. Now I see no mention of bedbugs on your site. What’s up with that?
Hi Michael! Nice observation! We’re currently updating our testing for bed bugs, and until that process is complete we’re not marketing for them at this time. If you need any help with bed bugs or have more questions, pls reach out to us at 800-842-1464 or email d.jones@cedarcide.com ๐
I too am looking for bed bug products. Have used your cedar code for years in hotels. Would love to know when you have availability again of product
Hi, Laurie!
The product you want, Cedarcide Original, is available now ๐
Can any of your products be used in an organic vegetable garden? Every year I battle invasions of stink bugs and squash bugs.
Hi, Carol!
You sure can, but with one exception. We suggest spraying all around the plants, but not on any herbs or fruits you plan to eat directly. ๐
Do you have anything that will get rid of mice?
Hi, Susan!
At this point we do not, but I suggest checking out this article: https://www.cedarcide.com/bugs-pest-control/easy-natural-rodent-control-4-steps/
A cat!!! I have used Cedarcide for over 5 years now as very effective and healthier flea treatment alternative on my mice killers. Your local shelter more than likely has huge suppy.
Will cedarcide kill or repel cockroaches? Here in Florida we have some big ones. If so, does it need to be sprayed directly on them or would it deter them just to spray around the edges of the rooms?
Hi, Margaret!
Our products sure will! They do best to kill when applied directly, i’d suggest Tickshield or Cedarcide Original for that purpose. These products also work to repel when applied to common trouble spots and entry points weekly. Let us know if you need anything else ๐
So, maybe you have heard that Pennsylvania is being overrun by a very bad bug called the Spotted Lantern Fly. It is not native to the US and is migrating west. It feeds on and kills hardwood trees and is very bad for the agricultural in the area including grapes in the many vineyards in the area. I have yet to see any on or around my property but I am hopefully that Cedarcide will kill the nasty buggers once they get here. Our department of Agg is looking for something that will stop their migration. Di you think your product will kill them or has anyone tried it on them?
Hi! Great questions.
We can’t say for sure since we haven’t tested on these pests, but our products are super great against flies when applied directly, so if we had to guess I bet our products will kill them outright within seconds. Applying PCO Choice monthly to possibly affected areas such as lawns and trees would likely repel them, too.
Definitely kills spotted lantern fly. I live in PA. Didnโt see them until late last fall and they were everywhere. Cedarcide worked like a charm!!
Sprayed Cedarcide along the bottom of my open window screen. Coming back later, I was shocked how many critters met their demise!
Will this work on phorid flies aka scatter bugs aka coffin flies?
Hi there!
We haven’t tested on these flies specifically, but in our and our customers’ experience our products tend to kill most any type of fly when sprayed directly ๐
I think your company and products are absolutely amazing. I am wondering about a couple of things: are you a public company? I have been investing in companies that are earth-friendly, and you seem like one. Also, what kind of cedar trees do you create your products from? Is it a sustainable practice? Again, I love your products, as they have changed how I take care of my yard and dog.
Hi, David! Thanks for the comment.
We are not a public company. We are a small, family-owned business but if that changes we’ll be sure to let you know ๐
The trees we use for our products are called Juniperus ashei, and the practice is indeed sustainable, especially given that these trees are often considered weeds by many landowners
Please be sure to let all of us know if your “not a public company” status changes!
We sure will, Sue! ๐
My dogs will sometimes eat grass. Will spraying the grass with cedarcide be harmful to them?
Not at all! This is a non-toxic product, no need to worry ๐
My neighbors have a honey bee hive. Will this harm their bees?
Great question, Carol
As long as you do not spray beneficial bugs like honeybees directly they should be just fine ๐
I live in a house with a yard. I have 4 cats and two big dogs. I have been using your products for many yrs now. I do not give my animals any traditional products for fleas and ticks. I have in the past but finally took the plunge and decided to try for one full year with only using your products as well as some oils from a holistic vet for direct use on my dogs. I have no fleas or ticks in my yard my house or on my sweet pets. NO MORE POISON! No maquitos either! I love your products. Thank you! I also love your emails on so many helpful tips
Thanks so much for the positive words, Christine! It means the world to us! ๐
This sounds great Christine. What other products/oils do you use?
Will cedarcide be effective against scorpions? We live in the Arizona desert and have problems with them in our home!
It sure will! I’d suggest PCO Choice for outdoor and Cedarcide Original for indoor.
How would this product, used in conjunction with your fogger, work on Indian Meal Moths specifically? Have there been any tests done in order to prove that it works if you say it does?
I am not sure if you are familiar with Indian Meal Moths, but when they are in their larva stage, they hare highly destructive, chewing through plastic bags, like cereal, in order to feed and then pupate into the moth. While they are in larva stage, they look for tight place, like the inside of a jar lid that is still sealed, for example, and wedge themselves between the inside of the lid and outside of the jar. Thus, a spray wouldn’t work as effectively as a fogger I do not believe. Would this product leave a residual that would still kill an larvae crawling around before it can become a moth to lay more eggs, or would is still have to come in direct direct, like with a sprayer? As these creatures are very elusive and VERY difficult to find, spraying them directly just is not feasible in order to eradicate the problem.
If it doesn’t work, that is fine, just found your product on Amazon and thought I would come over and at least ask the question since it does say Cedarwood oil would kill in the pupae and larval stages.
Thank you.
Hi, Kevin!
We do not have testing for these pests in particular, however our products work great against moths in general. You’re rightโfogging is going to be the best way to go after these bugs. Our products will kill on contact and deter thereafter, but not kill after application. However, if you fog, chances are you’ll kill most if not all in the first treatment, and then a second fogging would likely do the trick for good. Let us know if you need anything else ๐
Fruits and vegetables ?
Will this help with cicadas?
I live in the woods, literally. I use your cedar and lemongrass oil on my dog. Occasionally I find ticks on him but they are always dead and dried up. When Cedarcide kills the ticks on my dog I would definitely say your product is a wonder worker and recommend it wholeheartedly.
Carol, thanks so much for the comment!
We appreciate hearing the feedback ๐
2 Questions:
1ใ Can we safely spray PCO choice on our organically grown fruits and veg & if ok, how long before it is safe to eat or may we simply just wash off the product?
2ใ With free-range chickens & ducks I understand your cedar oil is not safe for them to ingest or to use on them. In using PCO Choice, if the birds were contained and the property then sprayed, would it be safe to let them free-roam the following day?
Cheers!
Great questions, Carol!
1). While our products are non-toxic and plant-based we do not suggest them for use on items intended for human consumption, simply just because we have not done testing for that.
2). You’re right, it’s just never a good idea to use cedarwood oil in close proximity to birds. However, as long as you remove them from the area as you outlined above, all should be just fine ๐
I have four dogs and I have been trying to rid of their fleas here in California is flea season though my dogs are indoor dogs the yard is all concrete I water spray wash my yard daily and I spray their beds daily wash any bedding daily and since Iโve been using your product it seems they are scratching less my question is what do I use on the yard?? Plus I told my neighbors about your product too actually gave them some hoping it works for their dogs.
Hi there! Thanks for sharing our product, we have no doubt it will work for their dogs, too. For your lawn I would suggest the Lawn & Garden Kit, here’s the link: https://www.cedarcide.com/product/lawn-garden-insect-treatment-kit/
Let us know if we can be of any more help ๐
Is this good for carpenter bees?
HI, MJ
Our products will kill them on direct contact but not repel them after that.
I have a huge Firefly population around my yard that we enjoy in the summer. Will cedarcide kill them as well?
Great question!
As long as you don’t spray them directly they will be just fine ๐
Iโve recently noticed active wood boring beetles in a few furniture pieces. Which product can I use to treat the furniture and how? Do I also need to treat other pieces near by?
hi!
Cedarcide Original would be a great contact killer for those pests ๐
Can you explain to me how you can spray your yard and get the spray only on the “bad” bugs? This is not feasible and is completely misleading.
Of course, Margaret.
We do no like harming our beneficial insect friends either. Typically beneficial insects like bees and butterflies are flying throughout your lawn, not just resting on the grass or soil, so they do not usually suffer any problems. As long as you do not spray them directly it should cause no issue for them. Spraying in the early morning is a great way to treat your lawn before the pollinators start making their rounds. Evening also works ๐
We have used Cedarcide for 3 years now and WOW what a difference it has made. I have found only one tick on each dog in a year, which used to be weekly. This stuff really works and I am so relieved. No ticks, no more Lyme disease.
Thanks Cedarcide!!!!
Thanks so much for your encouraging words, Terri! You made our day, you rock!
To be clear, can I apply this to prevent Japanese beetles?
We’ve heard our outdoor sprays work great against these pests ๐
Yes it does work—it reduced the population by half after one spraying
Couldn’t have said it better ourselves ๐
Thanks for chiming in, Susan!
Does cedar oil kill all bugs – even beneficial ones?
Great question, Trisha! As long as you don’t spray the beneficial insects directly, they’ll be just fine ๐
We are fighting fleas on our five Yorkies. They get them from the yard and bring them in. Do I need to treat the yard. We do not have grass. Will it work, or just treat the dogs or dogs abd dirt?
Yes, I would certainly suggest treating the yard. I would also suggest applying Cedarcide Original to the pups daily until the issue is resolved. Chances are fleas and eggs are also living in carpeting, pet spaces, and pet bedding, I would spray those areas with Original, too.
We have a large yard and flower gardens.
1. Is it safe for the flowers and shrubs?
2. How is it applied to a large area?
Great questions, Peggy! PCO Choice would be my suggestion for spraying a large outdoor space. It’s plant-friendly, including flowers and shrubs. ๐ This video will show you how it works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_opBGz6Xfo
Our horses get wood ticks. Can I use cedarcide on them?
Maggie, yes, you certainly can! Cedarcide is great for horses. We use it out at our horse rescue all the time with great results ๐
I’m glad to see this. When I first learned I had Lyme in 2017, I searched for a natural repellent.
A lady in New England swore by cedar wood oil.
I bought some. I use it,peppermint oil, and a spray I bought on a natural remedy site.
What your article says bears out what I learned.
Basically the ticks are totally fried. Works for me.
Thanks for the comment and positive words, Jim!
Where can I get this product?
Hi! Cedarcide.com or via the phone at 800-842-1464 ๐