CHAPTER I

Introduction

Background of the Study

Asia, Southern part of United States and South America. These insects are highly

invasive in nature, and can adversely affect the lives of human beings in many

different ways. Alarm and irritation are the two most common ways by which

their presence can impact humans. But apart from that, they can also pose

numerous health risks, especially if they come in contact with young children

and elderly people. Some of the harmful effects of these ants on human life are

quick invasion, painful sting, cause lesions and creates trouble (Pest Control

Sydney, 2016).

Ginger is a tropical plant that was spread around the tropical world during the

colonial days. In Africa, Asia, or South America, and many hot spots between those

continents, locals have taken to using ginger widely in medicine and food

. The ginger is one of the materials needed to make the organic insecticide. It is

chopped and since its oils can kill micro-critters it is very useful in killing various

insects. Its main components that can kill insects are shogaols and gingerols

(Yourmymine,2013).

Chili are the fruits of Capsicum pepper plants, noted for their hot flavor. Chili

are primarily used as spices, or minor ingredients in various dishes, spice blends and

sauce. Chili also contain capsaicin that is the main chemical that makes chili peppers

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hot. Capsaicin is an animal repellent that is also used against insects and mites

(Rodriguez, Gustilo,2013).

The main reason why the researchers chose this study is to let people be aware

of the bad effects of fire ants.

Statement of the Problem

The existence of fire ants in our homes that may harm us and cause

disturbance in our daily lives.

Sub-Problems

1. Where do fire ants usually stay?

2. What are the bad effects of fire ants in our health?

3. How does people eliminate fire ants in their homes?

Objectives

This study aims to:

1. determine if ginger and chili extract has the potential as a fire ant

killer; and

2. provide an alternative insecticide that is completely natural and eco-

friendly.

Hypothesis

Ginchil extract ( ginger and chili) has the potential in killing fire ants.

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 Significance of the Study

This study is significant in determining if ginger and chili extract is

effective as a fire ant killer, so that when people know about it they will

acknowledge that there is an alternative fire ant killer. And also it will help the

people to minimize spending their money in buying commercialize insecticide.

Scope and Limitation

This study will be only focusing in eliminating fire ants in our homes with

the use of ginger and chili extract. This will be conducted at Poblacion, Catarman,

Camiguin Province.

CHAPTER II

Review of Related Literature

Fire Ants

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 Solenopsis invicta, more commonly referred to as fire ants, are a particularly

devastating invasive species to the southeastern United States. First introduced in the

1930s to Mobile, Alabama, the ants probably arrived via cargo ships from Brazil or

Argentina. Since the 1930s, fire ants have spread to almost the entire southern United

States, ranging from Florida, north to Maryland and west to Texas, including

Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Tennessee. More recently, fire ants have been discovered in

California, southern China, Australia, and the Philippines.

Fire ants are typically more aggressive than native ant species, and swarm

when disturbed. Although human death due to fire ant stings is extremely rare,

swarming fire ants do kill small mammals and birds, particularly ground-nesting

species, and can totally eliminate some species of birds from an area. In addition, fire

ants have had an enormous impact on nonant arthropod diversity, in some cases

reducing species diversity by 30 percent.

As fire ants have adjusted to their new environments, they have undergone

several competitive adaptations. Because populations of ants are no longer limited by

native pathogens and competitors, colonies of fire ants are larger in the southern

United States than in Argentina. Fire ants favor disturbed habitats, such as agricultural

fields, suburban developments, or other environments characterized by ecological

alteration, where native species are under stress. Because of their aggression and lack

of controlling predators, pathogens, or competitors, fire ants have devastated native

ant communities in the southeastern United States. In Texas, for example, fire ants

were found to have diminished native ant species diversity by 70 percent, and to have

limited the total number of native ant individuals to 10 percent of their former levels.

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 Native ants were able to survive in pockets of undisturbed and non invaded habitats;

no ant extinctions are documented as a result of the depredations of invasive fire ants

(Minor, 2015).

Impact of Fire Ants on Wildlife

In areas where fire ant populations are very high,

 Ants may reduce populations of other ground-dwelling insects, including

native ant species, with which they compete.

 Impact on wildlife may be direct through predation (see or indirect by ants

preying on food, such as insects on which other animals depend. Direct

predation has been documented to reduce nesting success of songbirds They

also may attack the nestlings of ground-nesting birds and perhaps other

wildlife, although impacts on wildlife populations are poorly documented. Fire

ants have even been known to climb trees and enter bird nests.

Fire Ant Stings

Fire ants inflict painful stings and can kill human beings. There are large

social and medical costs associated with fire ants. Thousands of fire ants live in just

one fire ant nest. If a mound is disturbed, hundreds of ants immediately rush out,

climb on whatever disturbed them, including humans, and sting. There is some debate

about what triggers the ants to sting at the same time instead of individually.

Generally, it will take 10 to 20 seconds after climbing up on the victim for the

stinging to begin (Cooperative Extension, 2017).

Life Cycle and Habits of Fire Ants

spot to lay her eggs. Once found, she can lay up to 125 eggs in late spring.

● Larvae hatch within 8 to 10 days, and the pupal stage lasts for 9 to 16 days.

● Nest locations can be a mound of up to 40 cm to objects found on the

ground, e.g. logs.

● If aggravated, these react aggressively and can inflict a painful sting,

resulting in a pustule some 48 hours later.

● These ants are a major agricultural and urban pest, destroying crops and

invading residential areas both outdoors and indoors.

Ginger

Ginger is a tropical flowering plant that originally grew in Southeast Asia but is

now widely available from growers around the world. It's classified as a member of the

Zingiberaceae family, making it a close relative of turmeric. The scientific name for

ginger is Zingiberofficinale, which is thought to come from the Sanskrit name for the

spice (singabera).

Numerous active ingredients are present in ginger including terpenes and

oleoresin which called ginger oil. Ginger also constitutes volatile oils approximately

1% to 3% and non-volatile pungent components oleoresin. The major identified

components from terpene are sesquiterpene hydrocarbons and phenolic compounds

which are gingerol and shogaol and lipophilic rhizome extracts, yielded potentially

active gingerols, which can be converted to shogaols, zingerone, and paradol (Rahmani,

Al Shabrmi,Aly,2014)

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Chili

The chili pepper or chili originated in South America and is now widespread

throughout the tropics and subtropics. The insecticidal properties are highest in the ripe

fruit especially in the skin and seed. Chili act as a repellent to a number of pests

(Tropical Advisory Service,2000),

Chili belongs to the genus Capsaicin which is a member of the Solanaceae

family. The genus Capsaicin consists of approximately 31 species of which the five

domesticated species are C annuum, C baccatum, C chinense, C frutescens, and C

pubescen (Saleh, 2018).

What is Capsaicin?

Capsaicin is the main chemical that makes chili peppers hot. Capsaicin is

antanimal repellent that is also used against insects and mites. Capsaicin was first

registered for use in the United States in 1962. The U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency considers it to be a biochemical pesticide because it is a naturally occurring

substance (National Pesticide Information Center, 2005).

Contents of Capsaicin

Capsaicin, a homovanillic acid derivative (8-methyl- -N-vanillyl-6-

nonenamide, Figure 1), is an active com-ponent of the red pepper. The level of the

capsaicin in the seasonal pepper is around 0.025%, and in the hot pepper around

0.25% [4,5]. It is an extraordinarily versatile agent, and its use in a variety of fields

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ranges from pharmacology and nut-rition to chemical weapons and shark repellence.

Correspondence: V. Maksimova, GoceDelcev University, Faculty of medical

sciences, KrsteMisirkov str. bb, P.O. Box 201, 2000 Stip, Macedonia. E-mail:

viktorija.maksimova@ugd.edu.mk Paper received: 21 September, 2012 Paper

accepted: 26 November, 2012 saicin is represented with 69% in the group of capsa-

cinoids; dihydrocapsacinoids with 22%; nordihydrocap-sacinoids with 7%;

homocapsaicin and homohydrocap-saicin takes only 1% in the group of capsaicinoids.

Cap-saicin and dihydrocapsaicin being approximately twice as pungent as

nordihydrocapsaicin and homocapsaicin and they are responsible for the hotness of

the pepper (Gudeva, 2013).

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