The Effectiveness of Tagetes Erecta Linn

as a Natural Serpentes Repellant

Project Category: Life Science

Proponent: Jameel Jon V. Rifareal

Target date to start: May 18 2022

Target date to finish: May 30 2022

Grade level: Grace 8

Research Adviser: Mrs. Mary Ann A. Ballingit

Rationale

Most snakes (Serpentes) are timid creatures that try to avoid human contact. Non-venomous
snakes are helpful in the garden because they eat harmful insects and rodents. Venomous snakes
are another story, however. Snakes are an essential part of the ecosystem. However, many
species possess defensive traits that are harmful, or even deadly, to humans. Therefore, if you
live in a snake-prone area, try using certain plants that repel both venomous and non-venomous
snakes around your garden, activity areas, and household entryways. Snakes are infamous for
possessing potent venoms, making them deadly predators and strikes fear in humans and other
animals. However, some species, such as cobras, boomslangs, and rattlesnakes, have far more
venom than they need in a single reserve of venom. They have the potential to kill thousands of
their prey animals and several adult humans(Trinity College Dublin, 2019). Snakes love areas of
dense coverage where an abundant food source is present. Thick floral ground coverage attracts
rats and mice, which in turn attracts snakes. They can hide under small rock beds, in vines, and
anywhere they can feed. While non-venomous snakes are not as terrifying as venomous ones,
they are still scary to encounter since they can swallow their prey whole or kill their prey through
constriction; such snakes are Reticulated python (Python reticulatus). The longest snake in the
world (if not the heaviest), the reticulated python of Southeast Asia is also an occasional man-
eater or the Green anaconda (Eunectes murinus). It is the biggest of the boas and perhaps the
bulkiest of all snakes, but the South American green anaconda's pop culture reputation as a killer
may be entirely undeserved. It is relatively sluggish and does not, with any regularity, attack
humans. Nevertheless, people hate the creatures. Snakes are dangerous, and that is a fact, but
they avoid human contacts as much as possible and will only attack when disturbed; however,
there are some sporadic cases where some snakes are aggressively attacking humans, even going
as far as chasing them.
Planting flowers that repel insects can be a lovely and natural way to keep a healthy lawn and
garden. Blooms use their scent to repel specific insect pests, like aphids, mosquitoes, and beetles.
Organic gardeners often plant flowers that repel bugs near their vegetables. Insect-repelling
flowers are safer for pets and children around a home, although they are not always as effective
as applied pesticides (Rico, 2020). Many plants repel insects by producing a pungent odor from
their aggressive roots; one of these plants is Marigolds (Tagetes Erecta Linn). These popular
insect-repelling flowers are hardy and bright with large, full blooms. Most marigolds have a
strong scent that serves to turn bugs away. Even humans may find too much Marigold sniffing
unpleasant. Organic gardeners use the flower around their plants to repel aphids but also keep
mosquitoes at bay. Marigolds come in many varieties but most often grow less than 1 foot tall
and come in yellow, gold, orange, or a combination of those colors. The flowers grow in sunny
or partly sunny spots in the yard. Pinching off the first flowers before they bloom will result in
more flowers throughout the season (Rico, 2020). Marigolds have been proven to repel bugs,
insects, and pests, but can they repel snakes.

Significance of the Study

In the garden, snakes can be of great benefit. They eat insects or rodents primarily, which are
likely to benefit the garden. Small snakes can do severe damage to a grasshopper population in a
confined area in just one summer, but they could also harm humans and other animals, especially
when they're venomous, and some cases of snakebites end with the victim dying. While the
option of buying insecticides or snake repellants is a great way to protect your garden, the
product may cost a bit of money. That's why it's better to use plants instead. While the plant's not
as effective as insecticides, they can double as an oxygen producer and can still be effective as a
repellant as long as it's healthy. Keeping the garden natural and avoiding chemicals is a sensible
way to look after our planet. Using plants that repel snakes rather than any formulation can keep
the garden organic.
Statement of the Problem
This study was conducted to determine the rumored snake-repelling ability of Marigold

(Tagetes Erecta Lynn) and the effectiveness of it.

Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions:

1. What are the chemicals present in the Marigold (Tagetes Erecta Lynn) that is essential to
repelling snakes and pests?
2. How effective is the snake repelling ability of the Marigold (Tagetes Erecta Lynn)?
3. How does it affect the snake's (Serpentes) scales and behavior?
4. Is there a significant difference in its effects between pests and snakes?

Goals/Objectives
To confirm the snake repelling ability of Marigold (Tagetes Erecta Linn)
and to learn the effectiveness of the ability to repel snakes while researching which species of
Marigold (Tagetes Erecta Linn) works best.
Expected Outcomes
Marigold (Tagetes Erecta Linn) has been proven to repel tiny pests that would harm plants;
however, being able to repel snakes is still unproven. This ability was only possible because
Marigold (Tagetes Erecta Linn) excretes a chemical known as Limonene. Limonene is a
chemical found in the rind of citrus fruits, such as lemons, limes, and oranges. Snakes can detect
strong odors due to them having Jacobson's organ; this may contribute to the fact that they can be
repelled by solid odors of other plants. This information connects us to the rumored ability of
Marigold (Tagetes Erecta Linn) to repel snakes because a different plant called Lemongrass has
been proven to repel snakes due to them producing a citrus odor that deters snakes. Other species
of Marigold (Tagetes Erecta Linn) also produce a citrus-like odor. I believe Marigolds (Tagetes
Erecta Linn) may not be able to repel snakes effectively; however, I expect them to, at the very
least, irritate snakes.

Hypothesis
There is no significant difference in the effects of the chemical produced by Marigold
(Tagetes Erecta Lynn) among the experimental and controlled set-ups to the pests and snakes in
terms of:

a. Size

b. Odor

c. Species
Operational Definition of Terms
The terms stated in this section are given definitions in accordance with how they were used in
the study.

Jacobson's organ - also called the vomeronasal organ, an organ of chemoreception that is part
of the olfactory system of amphibians, reptiles, and mammals, although it does not occur in all
tetrapod groups. It is a patch of sensory cells within the main nasal chamber that detects heavy
moisture-borne odor particles. Airborne odors, in contrast, are detected by the olfactory sensory
cells located in the main nasal chambers.

Limonene - the oil extracted from the peels of oranges and other citrus fruits

Marigold (Tagetes Erecta Linn) - a plant of the daisy family, typically with yellow, orange, or
copper-brown flowers, that is widely cultivated as an ornamental.
Bibliography/Reference

 Flowers That Keep Away Bug

Rico
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/flowers-that-keep-away-bugs-13426258.html

 Variable venom: Why are some snakes deadlier than others?

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/01/190108084441.htm

 Snakes Are Good For Your Garden " A Healthy Life For Me
Amy et al.
https://ahealthylifeforme.com/you-want-snakes-in-your-garden/

 Limonene: Uses, Benefits, Side Effects, and Dosage

Sobel
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/d-limonene

 Does Vinegar Keep Snakes Away?

Jay
https://www.gfloutdoors.com/does-vinegar-keep-snakes-away/

 Do Marigolds Keep Snakes Away?

Christensen
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/marigolds-keep-snakes-away-87047.html

 October Birth Flower

Hinrichs
https://preservingthebloom.com/blog/2017/9/30/october-birth-flower