Repellent Effects of Bay, Neem, and Scent Leaf Charcoal Briquettes on Argentine Ants

Background and Objective: Traditionally, societies have employed botanical repellents for numerous generations as a strategy for defense against a variety of insect species. This study aims to assess the repellent effects of charcoal briquettes made from bay, neem, and scent leaves on Argentine ants. Materials and Methods: This study synthesized and evaluated briquettes made from bay, neem, and scent leaves using cassava starch as a binder. Varying quantities of carbonized sawdust, cassava starch, and leaves were mixed and shaped into briquettes, then sun-dried for three days. Twenty ants were housed in perforated containers with different treated briquettes to assess their efficacy. The control group had no leaf treatment, and each test was conducted in triplicate. Data from the experiments were analyzed statistically using One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) showed a statistically significant effect (p<0.05). Results: The findings indicated that each briquette demonstrated a combustion duration of 45 min. The optimal treatment regarding repellency and mortality rate was identified as 100 g of neem leaf, which resulted in an 80% repellency rate within 192 hrs of application, followed by scent leaves with 60% and bay leaves with 50%. The lowest repellency was observed in the control group. Conclusion: This experimental endeavor was undertaken with the intent to substitute chemical pesticides with more sustainable, economically viable, and biodegradable organic biopesticide alternatives. The results demonstrated the potential of neem leaf briquettes as the most effective treatment for ant repellency, highlighting their suitability for eco-friendly pest control applications.