Ants and Spices: The Potential of Spices to Repel Pest Ants (Formicidae)

We examined the spices nutmeg, cinnamon, Ngo Hiang Spice Mix (anise, galangale, cinnamon and star anise) and turmeric for repellent activity against foraging ants. Control baits consisting of a cracker substrate topped with granulated sugar were presented next to treatment baits (cracker, granulated sugar and spice spread over the sugar) to ants in natural habitats. After an hour, the numbers of ants recruiting to the control and treatment baits were recorded. Jenny Vu first tested nutmeg and then cinnamon; Hritam Mitra tested turmeric; Joe Steven Hardy tested Ngo Hiang Spice Mix and Nirupama Chauhan tested turmeric. Data were analyzed with the sign test. Nutmeg was ineffective in repelling ants, but cinnamon, Ngo Hiang Spice Mix and turmeric all showed promise as ant repellents