What is a pesticide?
A pesticide is a chemical
intended to kill, or disrupt the population of, a
pest organism. Pests are unwanted insects, mites,
plants, disease causing organisms (antibiotics are
technically pesticides), and other organisms that
interfere with health or commerce. Depending on what they target, there are three main types of pesticide. Insecticides
target insects, herbicides target plants,
fungicides target disease-causing fungi.
The definition of what is, or is not, a
pesticide has nothing to do with whether or not
the chemical is "organic" or natural. For example
nicotine, a natural component of the tobacco
plant, has been used as a powerful insecticide for
more than a hundred years. Sulfur is an effective
miticide (a pesticide that targets mites) and
sodium borate, which is mined as "borax", is an
effective insecticide. Pyrethrum from the dried
flowers of certain species of chrysanthemum has
been used as an "insect powder" for hundreds of
years.