Introduction

The housefly, Musca domestica, is the most common of domestic flies. It is a harmful pest, which
spreads many disease like diarhea, vomits and food poisoning since it carries many serious pathogens
like viruses, bacteria, fungi and many more. Thus it is crucial to repels this housefly species in order
to maintain the healthiness of ourselves. Based on traditional remedies, it is believed that the usage of
curry leaves and belimbing leaves can act as repellent towards housefly.

Murraya koenigii leaves, or widely known as curry leaves in English and daun kari in Malaysia is
commonly used especially in South Asia and South East Asian region. The Murraya koenigiis tree
belongs to the family rutaceae. The leaves have a slightly pungent smell, and feebly acidic taste. The
leaves have been widely used in the culinary field due to its aromatic scents and natural flavouring.
The morphology of curry leaves are , exstipulate, bipinnately compound, 30 cm long, each bearing 24
leaflets, having reticulate venation. It was also used as medicinal purposes. In India, curry leaf are
considered to be good cure against dysentery and bite of the poisonous animal. The many use of this
indigenous plant also seen as a potential method to ward off insects. (Julia et.al 1989)

In Malaysia, it is usual for the people to plant the tree at the back yard of their house which makes it
more convenient for daily usage. It is believed that the folks in the rural areas of Malaysia use curry
leaves as traditional home remedies for flies prevention possibly due to the presence of chemical
component in the curry leaf that have the similar characteristic to the repellents active compound.
(Nur Amminatul et al. 2009)

The next plant is Averrhoa Carambola. Averrhoa bilimbi is widely known as belimbing besi in
Malaysia. The leaves of Averrho Carambola is alternate, pinnate, 15-25 cm long, disposed more or
less in a horizontal plane, shortly petiolate with 7-9 pendant leaflets; leaves have the peculiarity of
being sensitive to touch in the same way as certain Mimosa species. (Orwa et al.2009). In the
Philippines, the leaves are applied as a paste to aids itches, swellings of mumps and skin eruptions.
Elsewhere, they are applied on bites of poisonous creatures. Malaysians take the leaves fresh or
fermented as a treatment for venereal disease. A leaf infusion is a remedy for coughs and is taken after
childbirth as a tonic. Furthermore, Averrhoa Carambola also are believe to act as resistant to
infestation to a variety of larvae and insects like mosqutious and flies. (Ruither Olievera et. Al 2005)

This indicating there are compound that could inhibit the infestation by some type of invertebrate
which presence in the leave. In order to confirm this, we are carrying out a mini project to observe the
ability of Bilimbi and Kari to act as insecticidial and also to identify which is better between Kari and
bilimbi that can act as natural-based insect repellent.
Problems caused by this particular animal

The house fly, Musca domestica Linnaeus, is a well-known pest especially in farm and house area.
This species is always found collaborating with the activities of humans. The Musca Domestica, does
not bite but it is harmful to human health and gives unpleasantness in many areas of the world. The
most important damage related with this insect is the annoyance and the indirect damage produced by
the potential transmission of pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and nematodes.
Pathogenic organisms are picked up by flies from garbage, sewage and other sources of filth. House
flies are strongly suspected of transmitting at least 65 diseases to humans, including typhoid fever,
dysentery, cholera, poliomyelitis, yaws, anthrax, tularemia, leprosy and tuberculosis. These flies are
most commonly linked to outbreaks of diarrhea and shigellosis, but also are implicated in
transmission of food poisoning, typhoid fever, dysentery, tuberculosis, anthrax, ophthalmia, and
parasitic worms.

Strategies that have been done to solve the problem?

There are four basic principles of pest management important in controlling house flies: sanitation,
exclusion, non-chemical measures, and chemical methods. These are listed in order of lasting
effectiveness.

Sanitation - Flies cannot breed in large numbers if their food sources are limited. Do not allow such
materials as manure, garbage, grass clippings, weed piles or other decaying organic matter to
accumulate. Keep trash cans clean and tightly covered. Be careful not to wash garbage cans where the
rinse water might drain into the soil; flies can breed in soil full of organic matter. Dry out maggoty
garbage or dispose of it in fly proof containers or landfills.

Exclusion - Flies can be kept outside of homes by the use of window and door screens. Make sure
screens are tight-fitting without holes. Keep doors closed with no openings at the top or bottom. There
should be no openings around water or gas pipes or electrical conduits that feed into the building.
Caulk or plug any openings. Ventilation holes can be a way for flies to enter a building. Ventilation is
important to maintaining adequate air circulation within the building, but screening must be used to
exclude flies.

Non-chemical Measures - The use of such devices as ultraviolet light traps, sticky fly traps, fly
swatters, baited fly traps, etc. can eliminate many flies from inside a home. A fly swatter is an
economical control method for the occasional fly.

Chemical Control - Exterior applications of insecticides may offer some relief from infestations
where the task of completely sealing the exterior is difficult or impossible. Applications should consist
of a synthetic pyrethroid (i.e. deltamethrin, cyfluthrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, sumithrin or
tralomethrin) and should be applied by a licensed pest control operator when flies begin to appear.
Unfortunately, because insecticides are broken down by sunlight, the residual effect of the material
will be greatly decreased and may not kill flies much beyond several days or a week. If flies are
numerous inside your home, you can use a space spray (aerosol) labeled for flying insects. Most space
sprays contain pyrethrins for quick knockdown. Aerosols give temporary relief, however. If you have
many flies inside, you would be wise to find out why they are there and take steps to relieve the
problem through sanitation and exclusion
Result

There were three sticky paper that we have prepared for this project ;the Sticker A (the curry
gel attached on it), Sticker B (The bilimbi-gel attached on it) and lastly C for the control.

Each of the sticker was put on the same distance at 5cm from one another . The experiment
was handled for 30 minutes in Kolej Ungku Omars caf.

After 30 minutes

Sticker A

From our observation, there is only a fly trapped on Sticker A

Meanwhile, On Sticker B, There are 3 flies which trapped on it

Lastly, for our control, there are

11 flies trapped on it

Based on these observation, it is found that curry, Murraya koenigii , is the best fly repellent
compared to Averrhoa Bilimbis gel.
References

1. Bhandari, P. R. (2012). Curry leaf (Murraya Koenigii) or cure leaf: Review of its
curative properties. Journal of Medical Nutrion & Nutraceuticals,
2. Sinha P. Javed A. Neha B. Honey J. and Anuj B. (2012). Curry leaf: A Medical Herb.
Asian Journal Pharma,
3. Julia et al. (1984), The Curry Leaf Tree (aaurraya koenigii spreng.) is Attracting
attention in Florida
4. Nur Aminnatulmimi Ismail et al, (2009) Study of Essential Oil of Malaysian Curry
Leaves
5. Ruither Olievera et. Al (2005) Insectidial Activities of Averrhoa Carambola
6. Keiding J. The houseflybiology and control. Training and information guide
(advanced level). Geneva, World Health Organization, 1989
7. Waheed Iqbal et. al (2014), Role of housefly (Musca domestica, Diptera; Muscidae)
as a disease vector; a review

8. Jamil R., Nor Natashah Nasir et. al (2016), Extraction Of Essential Oil From Murraya
Koenigii Leaves: Potential Study For Application As Natural-Based Insect Repellent

9. Hansraj Manda, et. al (2012), A Complete Review On: Averrhoa Carambola

10. Orwa C, A Mutua, Kindt R , Jamnadass R, S Anthony. 2009 Agroforestree Database:a

tree reference and selection guide ; Averrhoa Carambola