RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESIS

Despite concerted efforts to eradicate mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit, the
World Health Organization estimates that some 390-million dengue infections occur annually, of
which almost 100-million people fall ill, leading to 25,000 deaths . Mrs. Ofa Fitzgibbons (2021)
Avoiding mosquitoes to protect against bites is always a good idea. But a new North Carolina
State University study shows that the bacteria-ridden exteriors of mosquitoes may be another
reason to arm yourself with a swatter.
When you’re exposed to mosquitoes, you worry about blood feeding,” said R. Michael Roe,
William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor of Entomology at NC State and co-corresponding
author of the study. “Our hypothesis is that mosquitoes can physically transfer bacteria by
landing on you or by defecating on household surfaces, like flies do.
Question 1: Does The Product work?

Alternate hypothesis: The product indeed works as a insecticide and opens up a whole new

perspective in making insecticide

Null hypothesis: The product failed to exterminate the larvae but it gives us a different

perspective in exterminating pests

Question 2: Does the Caladium itself have the ability to exterminate the larvae?

Alternate hypothesis: The Caladium itself undoubtedly has the ability to exterminate larvae

Null hypothesis: The Caladium itself does not have the ability to exterminate, however the

combination of the Caladium extract mixing with the other substances produces the Caladium

insecticide

Question 3: Does the Product Exterminate the larvae instantly?

Alternate hypothesis: the larvae gets exterminated whenever the product makes contact with the

larvae

Null hypothesis: the extermination process takes time to take place but is effect

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PROBLEM STATEMENT

A mosquito needs a habitat with stagnant or slow-moving water. They pass through the larvae stage
rather quickly, though sometimes going from egg to adults in a week or less, so they don’t necessarily
need permanent water sources. They can survive even in places where there are temporary puddles
appear after a hard rain. Warm summer weather encourages mosquito to go from egg to adult the
fastest.(by Dr David N. Gaines, Public Health Entomologist). It can cause health problems such as
malaria, dengue, and zika that has huge effects on our community.

As mosquito larvae begin to multiply in an absurdly fast rate and the effort to use primitive ways has
render useless since although it helps cut of possible mosquito larvae breeding ground it only stop them
for a time being and then go back if not done properly. Commercial products most provide result in
giving the society effective and reliable ways in order for the mosquito to stop going back.

PURPOSE STATEMENT

The cause of mosquito in our society is a huge problem as many people would die each day, the amount
of people to die from mosquito bites is 1,470 in just one day (2016) that’s more than sharks deaths in
100 years which is 1,035 (1916-2016) if no action is taken to reduce the current rate at which the climate
is only warming. Pockets of habitat will open up across many urban areas with vast amount of individual
suspectable to infection explained by Moritz Kraemer, the intent or the objective of this study on why we
conduct this research is to spread awareness and possible solutions that could help our community to be
safe and away from harm that mosquito spread.

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SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

We can confirm that the issue of dengue, malaria, yellow fever and etc. is a significant concern for
many communities and societies around the world. By using Elephant ear plant extract or caladium, we
can reduce their risk of being bitten and contracting these disease and preventing their spread. Some
mosquito repellents contain harmful chemicals that can have negative effects on the environment. Our
study conducted a natural and non-toxic repellent that can help reduce the environmental impact of
mosquito control measures. We need a solution to the mosquito problem because they are constant in
society and we want to reduce their population. The society would benefit from this study in order to
stop this issue

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The Feasibility of Elephant Ear (Caladium) Leaf Extract Against Mosquito Wrigglers

Rationale

Mosquito are small insects living in houses or near house and usually lay eggs on the inner wet
walls of containers with water, above the water line. Mosquitoes may be nocturnal, diurnal, or
crepuscular, depending on their species. Most of the mosquitoes prefer to live at dark places. And some
of mosquitoes avoid heat and light, therefore during daytime they remain hidden in the corners, under
the luggage or inside the shoes and they will come out from their hiding places at night to search foods.
The female mosquitoes are blood suckers, they bite during day and night. After sucking blood it will lay
eggs on any surface that contains water. Female mosquitoes are responsible for transmitting diseases to
humans where the transmission at the disease caused by mosquitoes is a grave threat to millions of
people around the world. Especially those malnourished people and those with weak immunity. The
disease that mosquito carries also affect urban and rural communities with poor living conditions
especially to those who have lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

According to the world health organization, mosquito bites were responsible for the deaths of
more than one million people every year and most of it were because of malaria. (This shows that
mosquito is dangerous living organism roaming around the environment.) Mosquitoes are familiar pests
in the Philippines, the danger and sickness that mosquitos carry is many and is a threat to us.

Controlling the continues cases of diseases caused by mosquitoes is extremely important in the
present day scenario. The use of repellents to protect people from bites of mosquitoes has been
acknowledge. The idea of using natural mosquito repellent products as an alternative to develop new
eco friendly repellents could be an friendly solution to scale back the undesirable effects on environment
and human health. We conducted this research to control the continuous cases of mosquito diseases
and to test the feasibility of Elephant Ear (Caladium) leaf extracts against mosquito wrigglers. This
research may hopefully prevent, control and could potentially solve this problem .

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First and foremost, praises and thanks to GOD, for his showers of blessing throughout our research
work to complete this research successfully.

We would like to express our sincere and deep gratitude for our research teacher Sir. Elton Jhon
Meridor for giving us the opportunity to do research and providing invaluable guidance throughout this
research, his excellence, sincerity and knowledge have deeply inspire us, he has thought us what we
need to make our research successful it was a great privilege and honor to work and study under his
guidance. We are extremely grateful for what he has offered us. I would also like to thank him for his
friendship, empathy, and great sense of humor and for making each class fun.

We are also extremely grateful to our parents for their love and prayers and for providing us money and
for letting us be part of WLC ( Western Leyte College)
SCOPE AND LIMITATION

This research focuses on the effectiveness of elephant ear as an alternative mosquito wriggler
repellent, Due to having difficulties in terms of research facilities we have not gathered enough data. This
study is limited to testing mosquito wriggler repellent made from elephant ear in an polluted canals and
drainage system.