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PROBLEM CAUSED BY

ANTS AND
HOW TO SOLVE IT
GROUP MEMBER :
1. LIM LEE WEN (D20141066909)
2. RAIMI SAIT (D20141066894)
3. ATIA ATILAH BT AHMED RODZUAN (D20141066889)
4. NUR SYAFINAS BT ASLAN (D20141066905)
5. DYG AZWA NADIA BT AWG AHMAD ISHAK (D20141066884)

Introduction
Ants are common insects, but they have some unique capabilities. More than 10,000
known ant species occur around the world. Ants have a narrow "waist" between the
abdomen and thorax, which termites do not. Ants also have large heads, elbowed
antennae, and powerful jaws. These insects belong to the order Hymenoptera, which
includes wasps and bees. There are three kinds of ants in a colony: The queen, the
female workers, and males. The queen and the males have wings, while the workers
dont have wings.
Ants can be a particular nuisance when they get into your home. Garden or Black ants
arent thought to carry diseases, the trouble is you dont know where theyve been
foraging outside, so you wont want them marching through your food cupboards. Ants
will travel in a wide range searching for food, following trails they have established and
clustering around the source of food, becoming a nuisance in homes, organisations and
businesses. Small piles of earth around holes in soil and at the base of exterior walls
indicate their origin. They communicate and cooperate by using chemicals that can
alert others to danger or lead them to a promising food source. They typically eat
nectar, seeds, fungus, or insects. However, some species have diets that are more
unusual. Army ants may prey on reptiles, birds, or even small mammals.

Abstract
In this project we have to identify an issue
of animal activity which causes problem
to human, and ways to solve it. We have
choose the pest problem which centred
around ants, as such problem is very
common in Malaysia, since there are
actually 23 common ants found, and
others more.
In our study, we focus on the animal
physiology of ants which allows the
worker ant to bring back more of its
companions for food, of how do they keep
coming back invading the household, and
how to get rid of such pest problem.

Material and Apparatus


Warm water, granulated sugar, peanut butter, boric acid

Method
In creating the ant bait :
Mix the boric acid and sugar.
Mix in some peanut butter.
Add in some water at the ratio 2:1. Make sure to keep the bait
moist to attract the ants.
Observe for several days and record the data.

Problem Caused By Ants

Cause damage to the structure by chewing wood,


insulation, and electrical cables during nest building
Select species of ants are capable of inflicting painful
stings
Some individuals may develop inflamed skin at sting
sites and experience cramps and headaches as
reactions to ant venom

Strategies Have Been To Solved

Use non-repellent insecticides


Using natural ant baits
Use a garden hose to flood
Seal off all entrance areas
Try making a barrier from talcum powder

Result

Experiments are done in three spots in a house, to ensure the effectiveness of the bait.

Day

Spot 1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

Pharoah Ants
Number Of Ants
Spot 2
Spot 3

Pharoah Ants

16

14

12

10

14

11

10

12

0
1

12
10
Number of Ants

8
6
4

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Days
Spot 1

Spot 2

Spot 3

Day

Spot 1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18

Black House Ants


Number Of Ants
Spot 2
Spot 3
3

Black House Ants

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

4
Number of Ants

3
2

Days
Spot 1

Spot 2

Spot 3

Discussion

Study shown that most ants species are expert in smell


sensing with their antennae.
They release pheromones as the body scent track and info
transmitting.
A pheromone is a chemical an animal produces which changes
the behaviour of another animal of the same species including
the insects.
Pheromones act outside the body of the individual that is
secreting them which is mean that the ant that released the
pheromone, they will impact a behaviour on another individual
ant.
The ants that found on the trap:

Discussion

Black house ant, Ochetellus


Shiny and black (2.5 - 3mm) long
Larva hatches out of the egg as a white grub which is narrower
towards the head.
The adult emerges with the three defined body sections: head,
thorax and abdomen.
These ants are regarded as a nuisance and scavenge in kitchens,
garbage and also dog excrement, therefore potentially spreading
diseases such as salmonella.
The most effective control measure is to find the colony and treat

Discussion

Fire Ant (Solenopsis spp)


The queen can lay up to 125 eggs in late spring.
Larvae feed on secretions from the queens salivary glands and broken
down wing muscles until the first worker ants emerge.
Worker ants continue with larval care, nest building and food foraging.
Fertile males are produced later in the season.
Workers also collect honeydew and forage for sweet food, proteins, and fats.
These ants are a major agricultural and urban pest, destroying crops and
invading residential areas both outdoors and indoors.

Discussion

Boric acid:
Often used as an antiseptic,insecticide,flame retardant,neutron absorber,
or precursor to other chemical compounds.
It is found that boric acid affects the body of an insect much differently than
it does a human or other mammal.
When an insect consumes boric acid, it poisons the stomach and affects the
insects metabolism.
One of the reasons boric acid is so effective at controlling ants, especially
sugar ants and other common household bugs, is that a poisoned insect
brings the poison back to their nest, where it spreads to the other insects.

Discussion

Our ant trap purpose is to let the worker ants bring back the poisoned food
to the colony to feed others, which in turn will get rid of the whole colony.
This formula may not work on all species of home-invading ants.
Also, it emphasized that if too much boric acid is used, then the scout ants
may die before they transport the poison back to the nest.
If not enough boric acid is used, then the nest will not be killed.
We have to be patient because once the scouts find the food source, more
ants from the colony will visit the food source.
For us this has lasted about 2 days to a week.
It is to be known that the boric acid has worked once no more ants visit the
bait.

Community sharing/
commercial value

1. Goodbye Ants and other home pests pests at home such as ants can be

controlled if we use boric acid as it will not harm human (because we use only few
boric acid). Boric acid is one of the oldest inorganic compounds known to mankind in
treating pests. Mined from the Mojave Desert in California it is nature's proven longterm treatment in eliminating Cockroaches, Palmetto bugs, Water bugs, Ants,
Silverfish, Carpenter Ants, and Termites.
2. As secret ingredients - Boric Acid is the "secret ingredient" in so many
commercial treatments for insect control. This simple household chemical is deadly
to all insects. It has been shown to attack their nervous systems, as well as being a
drying agent to their bodies. It is effective in extremely small amounts and retains its
potency almost indefinitely provided the deposit remains dry. Unlike many
insecticides, boric acid has no repellency to insects and, consequently, roaches
return to treated areas repeatedly until they die.
3. Household Cleaner - Boric acid can also be used around the house as a cleanser,
deodorizer, stain remover, disinfectant and mold killer. You can add boric acid to your
next load of laundry for more stain-fighting power. You can also use it to clean the
toilet bowl with very minimal effort required simply put it in and wait 30 minutes.

4. Low-cost - Other than poisonous chemical insecticides, boric acid is a


natural ingredients that are capable of controlling pests, and it is way
cheaper than the poisonous one.
5. Safe to use Boric acid is non-toxic to the environment. Boric acid
(100%) powder is odorless and non-staining. Boric acid is deadly to
cockroaches, but is low in toxicity to people, pets and other non-target
animals. It is also odorless and contains no volatile solvents.
6. Acne - Some people recommend boric acid for use in home acne
treatments. It also appears as an ingredient in some topical products that
treat acne and other skin issues. BA is naturally antibacterial, and since
some acne is linked to bacteria (Propionibacterium acnes), it can help kill
the bacteria causing breakouts. However, BA is not a foolproof acne remedy
and can significantly irritate the skin. Many countries have actually
outlawed its use in cosmetics. It also gets a very high (negative) score of 8
out of 10 for health concerns by the EWG.
*TheEnvironmental Working Group(EWG) is an American environmental organization
that specializes in research and advocacy in the areas of toxic chemicals, agricultural
subsidies, public lands, and corporate accountability.

7. Yeast Infections - Boric acid actually work as a natural and effective treatment
for a vaginal yeast infection. Some experts now recommend vaginal BA capsules
as a treatment option for vaginal yeast infections, particularly infections that cant
be cured by antifungal yeast infection medicines. For yeast infections, boric acid is
used as a suppository before bed for one to two weeks. The CDC reports that this
regimen has clinical and mycologic (branch of biology that deals with fungi)
eradication rates of approximately 70 percent. A study published in the journal
Diabetes Care has even found that BA vaginal suppositories were more effective
against candida symptoms in diabetic women than an oral azole medication.
8. Athletes Foot - Boric acid power can also treat fungal infections, such as
athletes foot and toenail fungus. Just a few sprinkles of the BA powder in your
socks or stockings can help clear mild infections and ease the itching associated
with athletes foot. An added bonus: It can also neutralize the foot odor from
athletes foot, providing relief for stinky feet. It is effective in treatment of athletes
foot because the acid changes the pH of the skin and helps remove dead skin that
feeds the fungus. BA is a seriously potent fungicide, and it often clears up athletes
foot in cases where antifungal creams have failed.

Therefore, Boric acid can also be found in:

Antiseptics and astringents

Enamels and glazes

Glass fibre manufacturing

Medicated powders

Skin lotions

Some paints

Some rodent and ant pesticides

Photography chemicals

Powders to kill roaches

Some eyewash products

Precaution On Boric Acid Usage


1. Never apply boric acid onto countertops or other exposed surfaces, especially those used to
prepare food. If boric acid gets on your skin, remove it by washing the area thoroughly. If pure
boric acid comes in contact with your eyes, wash them out with cool water for 15 minutes. If boric
acid is accidentally swallowed, seek medical attention immediately.
2. Boric acid should never be used internally by mouth, on open wounds or by children. Swallowing
boric acid can be fatal. If swallowed, seek emergency medical attention. For this reason, always
keep boric acid out of the reach of children. The infant death rate from boric acid poisonings is
high. However, poisoning is considerably rarer than in the past because the substance is no longer
used as a disinfectant in nurseries.
3. When boric acid is used in capsules as a vaginal suppository, skin irritation can sometimes
occur. BA should not be used in any way if you are pregnant.
4. Dont use boric acid eyewash while wearing contact lenses, and wait at least 15 minutes after
using boric acid eyewash before putting your contact lenses in. Dont use a boric acid eyewash if
you have open wounds in or near the eyes. You should get medical help right away if you have any
such wounds. Of course, you should also see a doctor if you experience any eye pain, changes in
vision, continued redness or irritation of the eye after using a boric acid eyewash.

Conclusion

Based on the result, the total number of ants reduced after 15


days.
This result shows that the ants bait is quite successful which is
the mixture of Boric Acid with peanut butter, sugar and water
because it can help in controlling the the number of ants in that
area.
The ants that have consume the mixture containing Boric Acid
spread the chemical to its colony which it will slowly attack
their nervous system.
Thus, Boric Acid can be mixed with some sweet
things/ingredients in order to kill pests slowly to control the
number of pests.

T H AN K
YOU

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