I've been using the Napa 8822 for the past few years in the gritty mix and it has worked beautifully. I've purchased approx. 20 bags of the stuff and all have been solid performers with relatively few fines. I've purchased 3 bags (50#) of Turface and all 3 had a much larger percentage of fines than the Napa. They may be different depending on batches, but it has been consistent for me. Take a look at who generates the Napa product -- it's written on the bag down at the bottom: EP Minerals. Same folks, nearly identical product, as Axis (Turface competitor). I did a breakdown the first time I sifted and Turface had approx 20% waste whereas the 8822 had only about 2%. So although the 8822 was like 2 bucks more for 50lbs, it was still less expensive. Yes inhaling small particulates into the lungs is never a good thing. I think the concern is called airborne silicosis caused from the tiny silica that is generated from the firing process. There *might be* more silica in the calcined DE (Napa), but there is definitely dangerous amounts of it in calcined clay (Turface) as well. You really should b wearing the NIOSH n95 mask either way.

There's an awful lot of misinformation and conflicting info out there on DE, which I'd like to try and help clear up, because I hate to think of folk eating DE with pesticide (yes, some DE has a pesticide bait, such as the bag in the image halfway up the page). First, there are not two, but three different categories or grades of DE: (1) Codex or "fossil shell flour," which is the true food grade and is added to animal feeds as an anti-caking agent to to assist if flowability. If you're going to take DE orally -- and I offer no advice on the wisdom of this -- you want to make sure you see the word "Codex" on the label, which tells you it has been tested and meets certain criteria, including thresholds of safety on contaminants such as arsenic and lead. (2) pool grade, which is high in crystalline silica (the bad stuff), and, as such, works great in pool filters. But it should never, ever be used as a pesticide or in any food applications. (3) This is the tricky category: DE pesticides, which are variously labeled as "natural" pestides for gardens, pets, grain storage and for various types of insects. This is the type of DE you will likely find in the garden section of your local store, and which will be variously described on the bag labels as "insect killers" or "pesticides," and which will not contain the word "Codex" on the label. These types of DE may (or may not) be coated with pesticides. Perma-Guard, one of the better known brands of both Codex and pesticide DEs, explains it this way on their website: "The addition of Pyrethrins and Piperonyl butoxide is to irritate the bug, causing the bug to become active, allowing the DE to work more quickly." These two pesticide compounds are commonly used in lice shampoos and in sprays & fogs for bedbugs, mosquitoes, garden pests, etc. The only way to know if the DE at your local garden center is "coated" or "baited" is to read the label. And carefully. But even if they aren't coated, they are not Codex and are therefore not considered safe for human consumption. I hate to think of folk acting on bad advice and then munching down on DE that is either bait-coated or contains higher levels of, say, arsenic and lead. A lot of people assume that, if it's not pool grade, then it must be the Codex food grade. But there is that 3rd category, from which a good bit of confusion and misinformation seems to generate. As with any thing you use -- whether it's for bugs or people -- it's really important to read the label and to understand what you are reading.

Hi Liz, I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but: Now is a funny time of year to be just showing grub damage - how sure are you that you have grubs? I ask because I am not convinced that Diatomaceous earth works at all on them unless you are able to till the stuff into where the grubs live - a few inches below the soil. If you just spread it on top I think it will just sit there. And if you till, your lawn is gone anyway. So I think DE is better left to the gardeners. Milky spore only works against japanese beetle grubs, and apparently not very well in some locations, like where I am in New England. I believe it works better in the South, but even where it works well, if your grubs are not japanese beetle grubs it won't work at all. And apparently it takes a few years to become fully effective. That leaves the nematodes, but you already know about them... Can you check to see whether the problem insects are really grubs or something else? You check for grubs by pulling up the turf and counting the numbers you see per square foot. I have no idea how to check for billbugs, but I would guess that is worth looking into. Regardless, there is no fast-acting organic remedy for bug infestations, you will either have to let them do their thing this year and repair the damage later, or cringe hard and apply the appropriate synthetic bug killer, once you know what you have there. I'm sorry for the bad news! But either way, you can always fix it, it's just grass. ;-) Good luck, Paul

Ada, Thanks for the vet info. I found my Natural Remedies for Dogs book and wante to list a few options. They also tlk about garlic as a supplement, but I would be careful with the garlic, because I have read many times that garlic as well as onions are not good for dogs. Anyone who reads this PLEASE do not ever give your dogs raisins or grapes, thats the worst thing for them, far more poisonous for them than chocolate. I found that out the hard way, gave my little Boston Terrier some grapes, I almost lost her. This vet also recommends the beneifical nematodes outside, and DE. Here are some of the products and phone numbers, I searched and found that you can order them on the net. Cloud Nine herbal dip by Halo (800)-426-4256, this one I found on bizrate.com and a few other sites, it was more affordable. Quantum Herbal Products by Earth Animal, they have a website, (800)-348-0398. Flee Free, a liquid flower essence remedy byGreen Hope Farms (603)469-3662. www.greenhopeessences.com cost $9. One of those had the cedar oil it, don't remember which one. I'll have to check out that other health food store if I ever go to Norman again. My DH and kids hate when I go into the Health Food Center, they usually end up just following me in for some reason. lol. It's like a health food mall compared to any other store. Dawn, I am addicted to the laptop too. Both of our laptops are fairly new, I don't know what I did to mine, DH blames me everytime one of them stops working. By the way what does D stand for in DH? I just started typing it, and assume it could be a good word or a bad word, depending on the issue? hehe. Do you know of a natural remedy for keeping flies and mosquitos off of horses. I found a citronella spray but it also had pyrethrins in it, and I think I remember you saying that the pyrethrins and permrethrins were both toxic?