Title: Effect of Insecticide out of the seed of Acacia(acacia confusa) on Termites(Reticulitermes Flavipes)

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1. Background of the Study Reticulitermes Flavipes, commonly known as termites are insects which are mostly

hated by people. Because of the desire to get rid of these insects, insecticides are being

designed. Insecticides are products to kill insects and to get rid of them. But there is a

possibility that the chemicals which compose that certain insecticide can harm other living

organisms such as human.And there is a said characteristic of Acacia, common name for

Acacia confuse that it has an insecticide material which can help people away from termites.

The researchers conduct a study about the capability of Acacia as an insecticide

designed to kill termites. This study will focus on the usage of its seed in making an

insecticide to prove that there is an effect on the termites. This effect may be positive or

negative. They came up with this study while looking for an investigatory project. An article

caught their attention and with this, the researchers decided to make up further

investigations

about the acacia insecticide.

1.2. Statement of the Problem The researcher aims to answer the question “Is it possible to make an insecticide with

the use of Acacia seed?” Specifically, this study aims to answer the following questions: 1. Is Acacia seed capable of killing termites?

2. Does it bring an effect to human?

3. Is it more effective than commercialized insecticide?

1.3.Significance of the Study

This study is a big help for home owners who want to have houses which are free

from termites. The researchers admits that only few now a days have houses made of

wood because some people are now living in subdivisions where all the houses aren’t

made of wood and some are living in buildings. But still, there are ones who live in wooden

houses like those who settled in the province.

1.4. Scopes and Limitations This study is just an experiment. The researchers does not promise to have a

successful project. They are not saying that their project will have a good result. They is

only limited to use acacia seed and need to refrain from using other parts of the plant.

There is a limitation in the use of materials and time management.

Chapter 2: Review of Literature

2.1. The article

Insecticidal Property of Acacia (Samanea saman) Seeds and Bark Against

Termites (Coptotermes vastator). A study on the insecticidal property of Acacia

seeds and bark against termites was conducted to find out if these could be used

against termites. The experiment was conducted at the laboratory of the Bureau

of Soils in Lipa City and in Lumbang National High School from September to

October 2005. The effort was initiated to enrich the laboratory activities in

Chemistry and Biology for high school students.

It especially attempted to answer the following questions:

1. How can insecticides be prepared from Acacia seeds and bark? 2. How effective is the Acacia insecticide in combating or killing 3. termites (Coptotermes vastator); 4. Are there significant differences in the effectiveness of the ethanolic Acacia extract and commercial insecticide (Solignum) in combating termites? 5. What are the implications of the use of Acacia seeds as insecticide on the environment and human health?

Ethanolic extracts were prepared from the seeds and bark of Acacia collected

from areas surrounding Laurel farm in Lumbang, Lipa City. These extracts were

used as samples in the qualitative analysis and preliminary screening for

insecticidal property against termites. The screening of the ethanolic extracts

from Acacia seeds and bark revealed the presence of saponin, tannins, alkaloids,

reducing agents – glycosides, carbohydrates, which have the capacity to kill

termites. The one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used in comparing the

means of the effect of the ethanolic extracts against termites. Results were

positive, showing the experimental sample to be comparable to Solignum.

www.investigatoryprojectexample.com

2.2. Acacia Confusa

Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of

the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus in 1773.

Acacias are also known as thorntrees or wattles, including the yellow-fever

acacia and umbrella acacias. www.wikipedia.com

Acacia confusa is a perennial tree native to Asia. Some common names for it are

Acacia Petit Feuille, Mimosa, Small Philippine Acacia, Formosa Acacia(Taiwan

Acacia) and Formosan Koa. It grows to a height of 15 m. www.wikipedia.com

2.2. Termites

Termites

Order Isoptera

Termites are social insects that build large nests in soil or wood and can

occasionally cause damage to wooden structures. They are sometimes called

'white ants', however they belong to a completely different insect group (Order

Isoptera) to true ants (Order Hymenoptera).

Identification

Termites have pale brown to white bodies with a darker head and have no waist

between the thorax and abdomen. The antennae have bead-like segments. The

non-reproductive forms never develop wings, are blind, and have thin skin that

makes them vulnerable to drying out. Reproductive forms have two pairs of

equal-sized wings, one pair of compound eyes and a thicker skin that protects

them better from drying out when exposed.

Castes

Termites have several castes that have definite tasks within the colony:

Queen/s: there is usually one main (first-form) queen who may have been

the original founder of the colony. She may be larger than other colony

members and swollen with eggs. Queens can live and reproduce for a long

time (up to 20 years in some species). There may also be several

supplementary queens in a colony, which can take over egg production from

the primary queen when she dies.

King: the original king fertilises the queen and helps to tend the young

during the foundation of the colony.

Workers: with white-bodies and thin skin, these are the most numerous in

the colony and are involved in food gathering, feeding and tending the young

and the queen, and building or maintaining the nest. They rarely emerge from

the nest or associated tunnels, as they dry up easily outside the humid nest

environment.

Soldiers: are the colony defenders. They are sometimes larger than

workers, but mostly the same size, with darker heads. Two body forms are

possible, with a particular species having one or the other: mandibulate (fully-

jawed) and nasute (long-nosed). Some species also have two size classes –

major and minor soldiers.

Reproductives - both winged and wingless: these are the future kings and

queens. Beginning as wingless nymphs, they develop by shedding their skin

through several stages until they are fully winged adults. With darker, more

durable bodies and compound eyes, they are able to survive for short periods

outside the colony. They are destined to either leave the nest on a colonizing

flight or to take over from the queen if she dies.

In some primitive termite species, there is no real worker caste, with the

developing young taking on different roles as they moult. They may remain as

undifferentiated workers, or moult into either a soldier or a reproductive form.

Habitat and Biology

Nests

Nests are formed either in trees, in soil mounds or underground. There are 5

main nest types and many species will build more than one type of nest:

Ground mounds Tree nests (outside tree, connected to internal cavity) Pole nests (on human structures such as fence posts and telegraph poles) Subterranean nests (underground, in soil, stumps and tree bases) Tree wood (inside the tree)

Colonising flights

Termite colonies are formed when the winged reproductive forms leave their

original nest and take a colonising flight. These flights occur during warm humid

weather and usually take place during spring and autumn. The right combination

of climatic conditions increases the chances of success in founding a new

colony.

Starting a colony

Once a suitable site is found, the mating pair (the new king and queen) drop their

wings, hollow out a small mating chamber, and the queen begins to lay a small

number of eggs. Both the king and queen care for the young at this early stage.

As the colony grows, the different castes take on their roles of workers and

soldiers, leaving the queen to produce more and more eggs. She will produce

10-20 eggs in the early stages of a colony and may go on to lay over 1000 eggs

a day after several years.

Life cycle

Termites undergo an incomplete metamorphosis, with three developmental

stages:

Egg Nymph Adult

The eggs hatch into nymphs (the first instar) that are fed by the workers, and

these nymphs then moult several times, differentiating into worker, soldier or

reproductive forms. Development into adult forms takes several months,

depending on food, temperature and the size of the colony. Hormones are

thought to control the numbers of each caste, with imbalances corrected by

nymphs developing into whichever form is needed at the time.

Diet

Not all termites eat wood. Many species feed on grass and other matter, and are

not pests in buildings. Those species that do eat wood, get cellulose, sugars and

starches (all carbohydrates) from the sapwood (outer wood) of trees and can

also eat any wooden structures, including logs, stumps and human constructions.

They usually cannot eat the heartwood (innermost wood) as it tends to be much

harder and can have toxins that repel the termites. Protein is obtained by eating

fungi growing either in the humid nest - which also helps to keep the nest clean –

or from moist wood surfaces.

Many termite species have special gut organisms that help them to break down

the woody cellulose into sugars that can be digested. Some species have

protozoa (single-celled organisms) that produce enzymes to digest the cellulose

while others have bacteria. These organisms are transferred from termite to

Grass and spinifex-eating species are very important in the savannah ecology of

Northern Australia. The large amount of biomass that they process makes them

the equivalent of large mammals that eat grasses in similar savannah or prairie

habitats in other parts of the world.

Nest humidity and temperature maintenance

Termite colonies are maintained at a high humidity. This protects the thin-skinned

workers from drying out. Only when the external humidity is close to 100% can

workers leave the nest to forage. This is especially the case for subterranean

termite species, which gain most of their water from the soil. These species can

only become pests in buildings where a constant water source is available.

Indoor plants on pavers are a major cause, as are leaking pipes or roofs).

Termites that nest in dry wood don't have such strong water requirements and

may attack wooden structures that are not necessarily very damp.

Nests are usually maintained at a temperature between 25°C - 36°C. This varies,

depending on the species, the external temperature and the health of the colony.

Healthy colonies are able to maintain this range during very hot and very cold external conditions.

Sometimes the nest shape is specifically designed to regulate temperature. The

Compass Termite (Amitermes meridionalis) of the Northern Territory is known for

its tall (3 m - 4 m) mound nests. These nests are thicker across their east-west

axis (about 3 m) than along the north-south axis (about 1 m). This alignment

means that the nest has the most protection from the hot summer sun as it

moves east to west directly above the nest, but can still be warmed in winter,

when the sun is at a lower angle.

Links

Termites as Pests Fact Sheet What are the differences between ants and termites? CSIRO Ecowatch: Isoptera - Termites

http://www.ento.csiro.au/Ecowatch/Insects_Invertebrates/isoptera.htm CSIRO Entomology: Subterranean Termites or 'White ants'

http://www.ento.csiro.au/insect_id/termites/termites.html

References

Gerozisis R. and P. Hadlington. 2001. Urban Pest Management. University of New South Wales Press, 4 th Edition.

P. Hadlington. 1987. Australian termites and other common timber pests. UNSW Press.

2.4. Insecticides

An insecticide is a pesticide used against insects in all developmental forms.

They include ovicides and larvicides used against the eggs and larvae of insects

respectively. Insecticides are used in agriculture, medicine, industry and the

household. The use of insecticides is believed to be one of the major factors

behind the increase in agricultural productivity in the 20th century. Nearly all

insecticides have the potential to significantly alter ecosystems; many are toxic to

humans; and others are concentrated in the food chain. It is necessary to

balance agricultural needs with environmental and health issues when using

insecticides.

Classes of agricultural insecticides

The classification of insecticides is done in several different ways:

Systemic insecticides are incorporated by treated plants. Insects ingest the insecticide while feeding on the plants.

Contact insecticides are toxic to insects brought into direct contact. Efficacy is often related to the quality of pesticide application, with small droplets (such as aerosols) often improving performance.

Natural insecticides, such as nicotine and pyrethrum, are made by plants as defences against insects. Nicotine based insecticides have been barred in the U.S. since 2001 to prevent residues from contaminating foods. [1]

Inorganic insecticides are manufactured with metals and include arsenates copper- and fluorine compounds, which are now seldom used, and sulfur, which is commonly used.

Organic insecticides are synthetic chemicals which comprise the largest numbers of pesticides available for use today.

Mode of action -- how the pesticide kills or inactivates a pest -- is another way of classifying insecticides. Mode of action is important in predicting whether an insecticide will be toxic to unrelated species such as fish, birds and mammals.

Heavy metals, e.g. lead, mercury, arsenic, as well as plant toxins such as

nicotine have been used for many years. Various plants have been used as

folk insecticides for centuries, including tobacco and pyrethrum. Some

farmers are reporting successfully using spray of crudely fermented

alcohol as an effective Environmental effects

Effects on nontarget species

Some insecticides kill or harm other creatures in addition to those they are

intended to kill. For example, birds may be poisoned when they eat food that was

recently sprayed with insecticides or when they mistake insecticide granules on

the ground for food and eat it.

Sprayed insecticides may drift from the area to which it is applied and into wildlife DDT

Main article: DDT

One of the bigger drivers in the development of new insecticides has been the

desire to replace toxic and irksome insecticides. DDT was introduced as a safer

alternative to the lead and arsenic compounds. It is the case that when used

under the correct conditions that almost any chemical substance is 'safe', but

when used under the wrong conditions most insecticides can be a threat to

health and/or the environment.

Some insecticides have been banned due to the fact that they are

persistent toxins which have adverse effects on animals and/or humans.

An oft-quoted case is that of DDT, an example of a widely used (and maybe

misused) pesticide, which was brought to public attention by Rachel Carson's

book, Silent Spring. One of the better known impacts of DDT is to

reduce the thickness of the egg shells on predatory birds. The shells

sometimes become too thin to be viable, causing reductions in bird

populations. This occurs with DDT and a number of related compounds

due to the process of bioaccumulation, wherein the chemical, due to its

stability and fat solubility, accumulates in organisms' fatty tissues. Also,

DDT may biomagnify which causes progressively higher concentrations in

the body fat of animals farther up the food chain. The near-worldwide ban

on agricultural use of DDT and related chemicals has allowed some of

these birds--such as the peregrine falcon--to recover in recent years. A

number of the organochlorine pesticides have been banned from most

uses worldwide and globally they are controlled via the Stockholm Convention

on persistent organic pollutants. These include: aldrin, chlordane, DDT,

dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor,

Pollinator decline

Insecticides can kill bees and may be a cause of pollinator decline, the loss of

species that pollinate plants, including through the mechanism of Colony Collapse Disorder,[2] in which worker bees from a beehive or Western honey bee

colony abruptly disappear. Loss of pollinators will mean a reduction in crop

yields.[2]

Application methods for household insecticides

Integrated pest management or IPM in the home begins with restricting the

availability to insects of three vital commodities: shelter, water and food. If insects

become a problem despite such measures, IPM seeks to control them using the

safest possible methods, targeting the approach to the particular pest.

Insect repellent, referred to as "bug spray", comes in a plastic bottle or aerosol

can. Applied to clothing, arms, legs, and other extremities, the use of these

products will tend to ward off nearby insects. This is not an insecticide.

Insecticide used for killing pests—most often insects, and arachnids—primarily

comes in an aerosol can, and is sprayed into the air or a nest as a means of

killing the animal. Fly sprays will kill house flies, blowflies, ants, cockroaches and

other insects and also spiders. Other preparations are granules or liquids that are

formulated with bait that is eaten by insects. For many household pests bait traps

are available that contain the pesticide and either pheromone or food baits.

Crack and crevice sprays are applied into and around openings in houses such

as baseboards and plumbing. Pesticides to control termites are often injected

into and around the foundations of homes.

Active ingredients of many household insecticides include permethrin and

tetramethrin, which act on the nervous system of insects and arachnids.

Bug sprays should be used in well ventilated areas only, as the chemicals

contained in the aerosol and most insecticides can be harmful or deadly to

humans and pets. All insecticide products including solids, baits and bait traps

should be applied such that they are out of reach of wildlife, pets and children.

www.wikipedia.com

Chapter 3: Methodology

3.1. Preparation of Materials

The researcher first need to create an insecticide through the process of

decantation and she will be needing 15 acacia. Those seeds will be placed in a

two hundred and fifty milliliter beaker with one hundred milliliter water. The

beaker will then be paced above the tripod which is the testing of the insecticide,

she needs a container with at least ten termites that is covered with

screen. She first need to drain the seeds, get the extract with the use of funnel

and then transfer the extract to a sprayer.

3.2. General procedures First,. She will place the tripod above the Bunsen burner and there should

be wire gauze on top of the tripod. The researcher will then put two hundred

milliliter water into the two hundred fifty milliliter beaker and follow it with the

seeds. Heat will be added to the beaker by placing it on the tripod and light the

burner until the seed reaches its boiling point. She will let it cool for a while and

then pours the solution in a sprayer with the use of funnel that comes with a filter

paper. After that, the insecticide is now ready to be test and be sprayed on the

termites. The researcher will now record the observations.