Caffeine can be used for pest control.
That dead fly floating at the top of an abandoned, half-consumed cup of coffee may actually have died of poison. Judging from a number of scientific findings, it appears that caffeine may have evolved specifically for the purpose of protecting plants from insects. Applications of this discovery may include a new class of biochemical insecticides that are minimally harmful to humans but deadly to insects. Does this Spark an idea?
What is Caffeine?
Caffeine is a white, crystalline substance.
Caffeine is a bitter, white, crystalline substance present in coffee and tea that is responsible for their stimulating effects. It is, pharmacologically speaking, one of a group of stimulants known as methylxanthine, or xanthine, which occur naturally in plants. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord and other nerves. According to the FDA, it is both a drug and a food additive. Because it is a diuretic (a substance that makes the body lose more water), beverages high in caffeine do not satisfy thirst well.
Early Research
Insect larvae showed signs of confusion when given caffeine.
In 1984, an article written for "Science" magazine by Harvard Medical School neurologist James A. Nathanson stated that plants use caffeine, a natural insecticide, to ward off dangerous pests. In tests he performed with caffeine and compounds containing caffeine, he observed that these substances interfered with behavior and growth in many insects and insect larvae. For example, larvae showed signs of confusion as a result of being given one of these compounds.
Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes, which can carry the yellow fever virus, have been controlled with caffeine.
In 2003, an article appeared in "Genetics and Molecular Biology" describing how mosquitoes were treated with measured concentrations of caffeine and used coffee grounds. The subject mosquito (Aaeades aegypti) was the primary carrier of the virus that causes yellow fever. Previously thought to have been wiped out, this insect had returned to Brazil and other areas of the American continents. The caffeine treatments completely blocked the development of this insect in its early stages, thus providing an alternative control agent to the chemicals which were previously used.
Drawbacks
Caffeine can eventually destroy the very plant which produced it for insect protection. In the soil around a caffeine-producing plant are accumulations of caffeine which originated from the plant's fallen leaves and berries. The caffeine, however, does not decompose along with the plants leaves and fruits. Eventually, a toxicity level is reached where the plant can no longer survive. Coffee plantations, for instance, tend to degenerate within a couple of decades.
Benefits
Exposure to insecticides has been linked to a number of human illnesses, some of which are serious, including certain forms of cancer. Some of these chemicals have been banned or are highly restricted. Caffeine is a naturally occurring substance which does not have to be made from artificial ingredients in a laboratory. The potential uses of caffeine in the elimination of garden and household insect pests, as well as its benefit to the human population, make it a worthwhile and valuable commodity.
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