Ocimum basilicum essential oil (EO) was evaluated for its biological effects on M. domestica. Characterization of O. basilicum EO revealed the presence of methyl chavicol (70.93%), linalool (9.34%), epi-α-cadinol (3.69 %), methyl eugenol (2.48%), γ-cadinene (1.67%), 1,8-cineole (1.30%) and (E)-β-ocimene (1.11%). The basil EO and its constituents methyl chavicol and linalool elicited a neuronal response in female adults of M. domestica. Adult female flies showed reduced preference to food source laced with basil EO and methyl chavicol. Substrates treated with EO and methyl chavicol at 0.25% resulted in an oviposition deterrence of over 80%. A large ovicidal effect was found for O. basilicum EO (EC 9.74 mg/dm) followed by methyl chavicol (EC 10.67 mg/dm) and linalool (EC 13.57 mg/dm). Adults exposed to EO (LD 10.01 μg/adult) were more susceptible to contact toxicity than to methyl chavicol and linalool (LD 13.62 μg/adult and LD 43.12 μg/adult respectively). EO and its constituents methyl chavicol and linalool also induced the detoxifying enzymes Carboxyl esterase (Car E) and Glutathione S - transferases (GST).