Cinnamon is a versatile spice used to add flavour to food and also used for its medicinal benefits. However, the interesting fact to know is that the use of cinnamon is not limited to food and the kitchen. It extends to the world of insects, but to repel them. There are exceptional cases when cinnamon attracts insects. Cinnamon is used in different ways to repel insects, which is discussed in this blog.
Can Cinnamon Attract Insects?
Though cinnamon is known to repel insects with its strong aroma, it may attract insects such as beetles. This is because beetles feed on dried spices. For other insects, cinnamon acts as a repulsive force.
Benefits of Using Cinnamon to Repel Insects
Cinnamon is used to keep the insects at bay because most of the insects don’t like the smell. Cinnamon oil, a strong insecticide, comprises 80 to 88% of an aromatic mixture called “eugenol”, which targets the nervous system of some the insects to kill them. It affects the other insects in a different way. When compared to commercial products, cinnamon is free from harsh chemicals, which won’t be a threat to pets and kids. It is also less expensive than the commercial products because you can grab it from the pantry.
| Some Tips | Never use cinnamon sugar because it is completely different from cinnamon oil. |
How to Use Cinnamon as a Diy Solution to Keep Pests Away?
Cinnamon can be used in three different ways to protect plants and homes from pest infestation. Here is the detailed guide to use it.
Sprinkle Grounded Cinnamon
The first method to use cinnamon to repel pests is to directly sprinkle the grounded cinnamon on the soil or on the foliage of the infected plants. The best thing to know is that even if grounded cinnamon comes into direct contact with leaves, plants will remain unaffected. Rather, it will heal cuts and wounds on the plants owing to cinnamon’s antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Homemade Repellent Spray
Prepare a homemade spray by mixing two tablespoons of powdered cinnamon with four cups of warm water. Leave the mixture to steep overnight. Strain the mixture using a coffee filter the next morning and pour it into a spray bottle. Then, add a drop of rubbing alcohol and mild liquid soap. Shake the bottle and spray around the infected area in the soil.
Cinnamon oil
Cinnamon essential oil can be used as a spray or mixed with drops of oil into the soil around the plants.
| Some Tips |
Always check the purity of oil. The oil should be 100% essential cinnamon oil. |
Insects That Cinnamon Repels
1. Slugs
It is known for eating pet foods, houseplants, and even rotting food in the trash can. However, they can’t tolerate cinnamon. Therefore, the best way to prevent them is to identify their entry point and use cinnamon powder or oil.
2. Ants
Cinnamon disrupts the traction of long ant trails. Ants don’t bear the smell of cinnamon. The strong smell also disrupts their pheromones, which reduce their ability to call their colony members to the food source.
3. Cockroaches
Cockroaches get attracted to the leftover food in the trash and spread diseases. When cinnamon is used, they get attracted to the proteins, fats, and lipids present in cinnamon. However, when they come in close contact with cinnamon powder, cockroaches are unable to walk on the fine powder, and when cinnamon oil is used, it blocks their respiratory passage.
4. Mosquitoes
These are highly irritating creatures because their bites are unbearable, especially for young children. Cinnamon oil acts as a saviour, either by deterring mosquitoes or by killing them. You can use it either by spraying oil on a kid's skin or using cinnamon in concentrated form around their breeding grounds, such as bins, drains, or ponds.
5. Fruit Flies
As the name suggests, fruit flies get attracted to fruits and vegetables, especially the ripe ones. These flies contaminate the fruits and vegetables. The best way to get rid of them is to use cinnamon, as they hate the smell. Cinnamon also disrupts their pheromones (secretions which help mosquitoes communicate with each other).
6. Wasps
These insects are highly active during the fall as they have no activity to pursue in the fall, hence they get attracted to the sugary items such as beer bottles or fizzy drinks. All you need to do is spray cinnamon around the areas where food or drink is kept. You may also keep a bowl of cinnamon around the areas with food.
7. Weevils
Weevils are seen in flour or on other dry items. These creatures multiply within no time, burrowing inside the seeds. They lay eggs, which hatch, and the larvae feed on the food and grow fully. The simplest way to deal with them is to place cinnamon sticks around the stored dry food items because weevils hate the smell of cinnamon.
8. Silverfish
Silverfish love to live and feed on books, newspapers, carpets, wallpapers, and even clothes. You can repel them by spraying cinnamon powder on the infected items or wiping the infected area with a cotton ball dipped in cinnamon oil.
9. Houseflies
These are the annoying creatures making buzzing sounds and creating a nuisance for kids and adults. Houseflies also carry disease-causing germs, so it's important to keep a check on their growth. The simple way is to burn cinnamon sticks around the infested areas.
10. Onion Thrips
Thrips, also known as “thunder flies, thunder bugs, or storm bugs,” appear before thunderstorms. Though they are outdoor pests, they come home along with the farm produce or items bought from grocery stores. Unlike other insects, which may only get repelled, onion thrips die on ingesting cinnamon.
Conclusion
Cinnamon is one of the natural, easy, and cost-effective ways to get rid of insects. Some insects, such as weevils, ants, and cockroaches, are repelled, while onion thrips die on ingesting cinnamon. It’s advisable to grab cinnamon from the pantry and keep insects at bay.
