Oranges against mosquitoes

A new study suggests using the peels of citrus fruits as an effective pesticide that is much safer from an environmental and health point of view than artificial pesticides

By Racheli Vox, Angle, Science and Environment News Agency

Winter brings with it one of its tastiest symbols: citrus fruits. Oranges, tangerines, lemons and grapefruits fill the shelves, loaded with vitamin C and refreshing juice. We are used to eating them, making drinks from them and incorporating them into our cooking, and we have probably heard many times about their health benefits, but it turns out that it does not end here. study New Reveals a new and surprising possible use for citrus: effective mosquito killers.

In a study, conducted by researchers from Egypt and published in the journal Natural Products Research, tested essential oils extracted from the peels of orange and mandarin varieties. These oils function naturally as repellents and killers of insects and microorganisms, and prevent the destruction of the citrus fruits before they ripen, and they also give the fruits their characteristic smells, and it is relatively easy to extract them from the peels. In the study it was found that the oils are effective in killing the mosquitoes of the tested species, the common house mosquito (Culex pipiens), which is the mosquito the common secrets In the world. This species exists on all continents except Antarctica, and also in Israel it is the species responsible formajority annoying The bites Across the country.

Tangerine is particularly effective

The common house mosquito spreads various diseases, including meningitis, Japanese encephalitis and West Nile fever. Of the essential oils tested in the study, those extracted from orange peels were the most effective against mosquito larvae, and spraying the oils extracted from mandarin peels was the most effective way to kill the adult mosquitoes. "The discovery of the mosquito-killing ability of the essential oils extracted from citrus peels is definitely interesting and can be used as a basis for the development of pest control products," says Tal Weinberg, editor.cuticle - magazine Pest control Israeli conflict".

There is no doubt that mosquitoes are a significant nuisance that can harm the quality of life. They can prevent us from staying outside, keep us awake at night and make us itch endlessly because of their bites. However, these are not the most serious damages that mosquitoes are responsible for. In fact, mosquitoes are nothing less and nothing more thanThe deadliest animal to man. According to the estimates of the World Health Organization, about 725 thousand people die every year from diseases transmitted by mosquitoes. The phenomenon is not limited to developing countries only. "In recent years there has been a phenomenon of invasive mosquitoes, mainly of the Aedes type, which also reach Europe, the United States and the Mediterranean countries," says Weinberg. "These mosquitoes can transmit diseases such as Zika, dengue fever and chikungunya." In fact, only recently was an outbreak of chikungunya reported in Italy.

As far as the fight against mosquitoes is concerned, we are not doing very well. "It is more difficult to exterminate mosquitoes than other insects," says Weinberg, "because the treatment is usually carried out outside the houses, in changing conditions and in conditions of dust and moisture, which often cause the pesticides to break down quickly." Such external treatment is necessary in order to prevent the populations in the yards and on the street from reaching the houses. "It's different than exterminating cockroaches inside a closed house, where the conditions are more ideal. There is a need for good materials for mosquito control, there are many products in the field today and most of them do not provide a good enough solution."

A natural and sustainable alternative

Another problem is that even when the pesticides are indeed effective against the mosquitoes, they may be "too" effective. "The substances are usually not selective for mosquitoes, they kill every insect," explains Weinberg. "They damage the insect's nervous system, so they can also damage other creatures, including beneficial insects such as bees." The peels of the citrus fruits, on the other hand, may be a natural and sustainable alternative, which will not harm the environment. Beyond that, the ease of use of the method and the relatively high availability of citrus fruits around the world can allow the use of the method even in areas of the world that do not normally have access to mosquito repellents, which are often the areas most affected by the insect's damage.

The new research that tested the essential oils as mosquito killers is still an academic matter and the new substances have not yet been developed for commercial use. In addition, there is still room to test the effect of these substances on insects and other creatures. At the same time, even if they are toxic, the advantage of these substances over many artificial pesticides is that they are natural and therefore likely to break down relatively faster. Therefore, even if insects are killed at first after using them, it will be for a short period and they will not accumulate in the environment as is the case with many artificial pesticides

Until we get all the answers, Weinberg recommends focusing on prevention. "The most important thing is the water treatment", he emphasizes. "Above all, we need to entrust the drying of unnecessary water lines, especially in the courtyards of the houses."