JP7437131B2 - Fire ant repellent composition and fire ant repellent method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a fire ant repellent composition and a fire ant repellent method.

Fire ants originally live in central South America and are known as highly aggressive ants. Additionally, fire ants are highly poisonous, and there have been many reports of damage to humans and livestock in areas where they live. Fire ant stings can cause anaphylactic symptoms even in humans, so the dangers of fire ant stings are being watched closely around the world. In addition, in recent years, with the development of transportation methods such as airplanes and ships, their habitat has expanded, and they have been found in various regions such as North America, Asia, and Australia. .

Recently, reports of the discovery of fire ants have been made widely across prefectures in our country (Japan), and the presence of fire ants has been recognized as one of the serious social problems. In addition, fire ants are designated as a specified alien species, and as they are not only highly poisonous but also highly reproductive, prompt control measures are required.

Conventionally, the main methods of controlling ants have been so-called extermination, such as spraying liquids or aerosols containing insecticidal ingredients, or making the ants eat bait and bring them back to their nests, thereby exterminating the entire nest.
However, some say that it is not necessary to exterminate ordinary ants unless they invade the house or cause harm. Furthermore, it has been pointed out that if pesticides are used extensively to exterminate fire ants, which are a specified invasive species, they may also kill native species, and fire ants may develop resistance to pesticides. has been done. In addition, there is a growing need for naturally-derived products that have the image of being safe and secure for people, pets, plants, and the environment, and naturally-derived repellents that do not use insecticides are being considered, but their effectiveness remains is still not sufficient.

For this reason, instead of exterminating ants, methods are currently being sought to keep ants away by applying ant repellent to the entrance and surrounding areas of houses in advance (for example, Patent Document 1 below) reference).

JP2019-034906A

Currently, the reported cases of fire ants found in Japan are concentrated in container yards and inside containers in port areas, and the breeding of fire ants has not yet been confirmed throughout Japan.
On the other hand, it is known that fire ants originally build nests called colonies underground and breed underground. Large fire ant nests are said to be over 60 cm in diameter and 45 cm in height, and their existence can be confirmed even on the ground. It is also said that between 10,000 and 500,000 fire ants live inside the nest.
However, it takes two to three years for such a large nest to form, and it is difficult to confirm the existence of the nest from the ground before it becomes large. For this reason, when a nest of fire ants is confirmed on the ground, it is assumed that the fire ants have already bred underground.

Furthermore, even after the fire ant nest grows large and appears on the ground, a portion of it remains rooted underground over a wide area. In this way, fire ants have the property of breeding underground.
Furthermore, fire ants are said to have a tendency to crawl up in groups from surfaces that come into contact with the ground when vibrations are applied to the ground around their nests.
For this reason, for example, if you unintentionally invade the habitat of fire ants and cause vibrations to the ground during outdoor activities, fire ants may crawl up from people's shoes, socks, etc. If the insect gets inside, the possibility of being bitten becomes very high.

Although fire ants are known to be omnivorous, they are said to attack birds, rodents, and sometimes even calves, and the aggressive nature of their groups is considered particularly dangerous. Furthermore, when attacking a target, a fire ant first attaches itself to the target, bites it with its lower jaw, and then injects venom by stinging the target.
Therefore, in order to avoid direct bite damage caused by fire ants, preventing contact with fire ants is an effective preventive measure.

From the above, for example, by treating objects such as people's shoes and socks, fire ants can be treated to make fire ants averse to coming into contact with the object itself, and to suppress the fire ants from climbing up. The development of repellent compositions is strongly desired.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention aims to provide a fire ant repellent composition and a fire ant repellent method that can exhibit an excellent repellent effect against fire ants.

The present inventors have conducted extensive research in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. As a result, they discovered that benzyl alcohol has an effective repellent effect against fire ants, and completed the present invention.

<1> A fire ant repellent composition containing benzyl alcohol as an active ingredient.
<2> Method for repelling fire ants using benzyl alcohol.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a fire ant repellent composition and a fire ant repellent method that can exhibit an excellent repellent effect against fire ants.

3 is a photograph showing the results of preventing fire ants from climbing up in Example 1 and Comparative Example 1. 3 is a photograph showing the results of preventing fire ants from climbing up in Example 2 and Comparative Example 2.

The present invention will be described below using embodiments, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

The fire ant repellent composition of this embodiment (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "the repellent composition of this embodiment") contains benzyl alcohol as an active ingredient. Moreover, the fire ant repellent method of this embodiment (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "the repellent method of this embodiment") uses benzyl alcohol, and for example, benzyl alcohol is applied to an object.
The repellent composition and method of this embodiment have excellent repellent effects against fire ants. Therefore, for example, even if a fire ant prepares to attack due to vibrations being applied to the ground around its nest, it will avoid contact with the object to which the repellent composition of the present embodiment has been applied. The repellent effect of the repellent composition of this embodiment on fire ants is very large, and for example, fire ants avoid objects to which the repellent has been applied even during a short period of time, such as the contact time between shoes and the ground. Therefore, for example, when the repellent composition of the present embodiment is applied to shoes, socks, clothing (e.g., hem portions), or directly to the skin (coating, spraying, etc.), the repellent composition can be applied to the area where fire ants live. Even if there is a problem, the crawling of fire ants can be effectively suppressed, allowing outdoor activities to be carried out with peace of mind.

Moreover, the repellent composition of this embodiment has little influence on the environment of humans, animals, plants, and the like. Therefore, it can be used in areas that may be touched by children or pets, and can be safely used on socks, clothing, and the like. Further, for example, by applying the repellent composition of this embodiment to the entry route of a house, it is possible to prevent fire ants from entering the house without exterminating native species of ants.

"Fire ant (Solenopsis invicta)" is a type of ant that belongs to the order Hymenoptera, family Formicidae, subfamily Dipterae, and is native to the continent of South America. It is designated as a ``Specific Alien Species'' under the Act on Prevention of Damage to Ecosystems by Specified Alien Species (the so-called Alien Species Act).

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, "repellent" against fire ants means the effect of preventing the fire ants from coming into contact with the repellent composition of the present embodiment itself or an object to which the repellent is applied, and preferably with the ground. This refers to the effect that fire ants are averse to contact with objects even for short periods of time (for example, 1 to 10 seconds, more preferably 5 to 10 seconds) such as the contact time with shoes. One example is the effect of suppressing fire ant crawling.

The repellent composition of this embodiment contains benzyl alcohol as an active ingredient. Benzyl alcohol is a compound represented by the following structural formula, and is a colorless and transparent liquid. Commercially available benzyl alcohol can be used, and benzyl alcohol can also be synthesized and used. Furthermore, it is also possible to use essential oils containing benzyl alcohol.

In the repellent composition of this embodiment, benzyl alcohol may be used as it is, or may be diluted with a solvent or the like. Further, the repellent composition of the present embodiment may contain components other than benzyl alcohol as long as they exhibit a repellent action against fire ants.
The content of benzyl alcohol in the repellent composition of this embodiment is not particularly limited, but when used for objects that constantly come into contact with the human body, such as socks and clothing, For example, from the viewpoint of increasing the fire ant repellent effect and sustainability in both cases (such as a part of a house and the outer surface of shoes, socks, and clothing), the repellent composition of the present embodiment as a whole For example, it can be used in an amount of 1% by mass or more, more preferably 5% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 10% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit of the content is not particularly limited and may be 100% by mass.

For example, benzyl alcohol is basically liquid at room temperature and pressure, and it is thought that the higher the concentration, the higher the effect. However, as mentioned above, when used for objects that constantly come into contact with the human body, benzyl alcohol may be dissolved in a solvent to form a solution. Examples of solvents include alcohol solvents such as water, methanol, ethanol, and isopropanol; ketone solvents such as acetone and methyl ethyl ketone; ether solvents such as diethyl ether and tetrahydrofuran; polyhydric alcohol solvents such as ethylene glycol and glycerin; Ester solvents such as ethyl acetate, isopropyl myristate, and ethyl lactate; vegetable oils such as oregano oil, neem oil, thyme oil, clove oil, cinnamon oil, geranium oil, peppermint oil, lavender oil, anise oil, and lime oil. I can do it.

Further, the dosage form of the repellent composition of this embodiment is not particularly limited, and for example, it may be used as a liquid, powder, granule, etc., or it may be used as a spray that can be sprayed with benzyl alcohol, which is an active ingredient. It may be used, or it may be mixed with a solidifying agent or a thickener to form a solid or gel form. Moreover, the repellent composition of this embodiment can also be used by encapsulating benzyl alcohol in microcapsules. That is, in the repellent method of the present embodiment, benzyl alcohol can be applied to the object by spraying it using a spray agent or the like in which the benzyl alcohol is sealed in a container.

The spray agent is a container in which the repellent composition of the present embodiment is enclosed. When using the repellent composition of the present embodiment as a spray, benzyl alcohol or a benzyl alcohol solution can be used as a substitute for fluorocarbons such as methane, ethane, propane, butane, dimethyl ether, fluorocarbon gas, HFO, HFC, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), nitrogen, etc. It can be sealed in a container together with gas and high pressure gas such as carbon dioxide gas, and configured to be able to spray benzyl alcohol.

The repellent composition of this embodiment can be used in solid or gel form using a solidifying agent or a thickening agent (gelling agent). When the repellent composition of the present embodiment is used as a solid agent or gel-like agent, benzyl alcohol is gradually released from the solid agent or gel-like agent, so that the repellent effect against fire ants is continuously maintained. become.
Here, in this embodiment, "solid form" does not need to be solid in the strict sense as long as the shape is maintained at room temperature and normal pressure. Furthermore, "gel-like" refers to any amorphous fluid with high viscosity, whether or not it is soluble in a solvent.

Examples of the solidifying agent include agar; gelatin; thickening polysaccharides such as xanthan gum, alginate, and carrageenan; polyethylene glycol; cellulose derivatives such as hydroxyethyl cellulose and carboxymethyl cellulose salt; polyvinyl alcohol; and polyvinylpyrrolidone. can.
Further, examples of the gelling agent include a highly concentrated aqueous solution of the solidifying agent; polyethylene glycol, and the like.

When the repellent composition of this embodiment is used in the form of benzyl alcohol or a benzyl alcohol solution encapsulated in microcapsules, the microcapsules containing the repellent composition of this embodiment themselves exhibit sustained release properties of benzyl alcohol. . The microcapsule containing the repellent composition of this embodiment can contain not only a solid agent but also a liquid agent or a gel agent, and can be a sustained release liquid agent or gel agent.
The form of the microcapsules is not particularly limited, and can be mononuclear, multinuclear, or matrix-type, depending on the desired sustained release period.
Microcapsule methods for making the repellent composition of this embodiment into microcapsules include chemical methods using polyurea, polyurethane, polyamide, melamine resin, urea resin, calcium alginate, etc.; gelatin, gum arabic, Examples include physicochemical methods using polymers dissolved in low-boiling organic solvents; mechanical and physical methods using dry film polymers, gelatin, starch, wax, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene, etc.

Furthermore, the repellent composition of this embodiment may contain general additives such as preservatives, antioxidants, pH adjusters, colorants, fragrances, and surfactants. To the above-mentioned various ingredients, other functional ingredients such as repellent ingredients, insecticidal ingredients, deodorizing ingredients, sterilizing/antibacterial ingredients, etc. can be added to repel other pests, as long as they do not interfere with the effects of the present invention. A composition may be constituted.

The repellent composition of this embodiment may be used, for example, in a form in which it is contained in a carrier and the benzyl alcohol is volatilized into space. The carrier is not particularly limited, and commonly used carriers such as nets, sheets, plastic resin films or molded bodies, and silicone rubber can be appropriately selected and used. As for the method of incorporating it into the carrier, commonly used methods such as dropping, coating, and kneading can be appropriately selected and used. Furthermore, as a method for volatilizing benzyl alcohol into the space, in addition to natural volatilization, it is also possible to use a method of increasing the volatilization property by blowing air with an air blower or the like.

As described above, the repellent method of this embodiment is a method using benzyl alcohol, and for example, by applying benzyl alcohol to an object, it is possible to exert a repellent effect on fire ants. The object to which the repellent composition (benzyl alcohol) of the present embodiment is applied is not particularly limited, and can be determined as appropriate depending on the dosage form and use situation of the repellent composition of the present embodiment. For example, the repellent composition of the present embodiment may be sprayed, sprayed, or applied to the building and its surroundings through fire ant entry routes (for example, the back door, entrance, outer wall, etc. of a house). In addition, by spraying, spraying, or applying the repellent composition of this embodiment on shoes, socks, clothing (such as under the hem), or the skin itself, the repellent composition of the present embodiment can be applied, for example, to the ground during outdoor activities. Even if vibrations are applied to the nest of fire ants and the fire ants become aggressive, it is possible to effectively prevent the fire ants from crawling onto the human body.

Although the amount of the repellent composition of the present embodiment to be used is not particularly limited, the amount of benzyl alcohol applied is preferably 0.1 to 50 g/m ² , more preferably 1 to 10 g/m ² .

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to Examples, but the present invention is not limited by the Examples below, and modifications may be made as appropriate within the scope of the spirit of the preceding and following. Of course, other implementations are also possible, and all of them are included within the technical scope of the present invention.

(Example 1 and Comparative Example 1)
- Effect of suppressing fire ant crawling -
At the test site (Taiwan), the effectiveness of suppressing the climbing of fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) was measured using wooden sticks on nests of fire ants (Solenopsis invicta).
First, two wooden rods with a diameter of 1 cm and a length of 15 cm were prepared, and a sample (benzyl alcohol 100% solution) was applied to the entire surface of one of the rods to the extent that the rod surface was sufficiently wetted (approximately 0.05 g).
Immediately after application, each stick was pierced into a fire ant nest so that the tip was exactly 10 cm above the ground, the resulting vibration stimulated the fire ants, and the test was started.
The number of fire ants climbing onto the rod was counted at (1) 5 seconds and (2) 10 seconds after the start of the test. The results are shown in Table 1 below. Note that FIG. 1 is an image showing the results of (1) and (2), and in each image, the bar on the left side when facing the page is Comparative Example 1, and the bar on the right side is Example 1.

As is clear from the table, in the Examples in which benzyl alcohol was applied, the climbing of fire ants was significantly suppressed.

(Example 2 and Comparative Example 2)
- Effect of suppressing fire ant crawling -
At the same test site as in Example 1, the effect of suppressing the climbing of fire ants was measured when boots were used on nests of fire ants (Solenopsis invicta).
Boots (material: polyvinyl chloride (PVC)) were worn on both feet. A sample (100% benzyl alcohol solution) was applied to the entire boot of one foot to the extent that the surface of the boot was sufficiently wetted (approximately 0.05 g).
Immediately after application, the test was started by stimulating the fire ant nest by stepping on it with both feet a total of six times (three times with each foot). Five seconds after the start of the test, the number of fire ants climbing onto the boots was counted. The results are shown in Table 2 below. Note that FIG. 2 is an image showing the results of the present example and the comparative example, and in the image, the left side (right foot) as viewed from the paper is Comparative Example 2, and the right side (left foot) is Example 2.

As is clear from the table, even when the method of this embodiment was applied to PVC boots instead of sticks, the climbing of fire ants was significantly suppressed in the examples in which benzyl alcohol was applied. was.

Claims (2)

A fire ant repellent consisting only of benzyl alcohol. A method of repelling fire ants using a fire ant repellent made only of benzyl alcohol.