What Is Neem Oil Soap?
Neem oil soap is an insect control product derived from the oil from the neem tree (native to Asia and Africa). It is extremely effective as an insecticide or in some cases as a fungicide. For insect control, the active chemicals in neem oil soap act in two ways, they either repel insects or kill them. Unlike synthetic pesticides, the neem oil soap molecules do not act as a nerve or stomach poison, but rather they degrade the protective, water-proofing insect exoskeleton. The neem oil soap breaks down this exoskeleton, disrupting normal membrane functions, often causing the insect to dry out and die. For foliage feedeers such as cabbage loopers, neem oil soap repels the insect by making plants unpalatable. As a repellent, it last for up to 30 days. Neem oil soap’s dual role as a repellent and an insecticide may make it doubly difficult for insects to develop resistance to it. Neem is a natural product and is very safe to use. In fact neem oil has been used in Southeast Asia as an insec
