Using lemons (Citrus limon) and black pepper (Piper nigrum) as an all-

natural housefly (Musca domestica) repellant

A project presented to the Science department

College of Saint Anthony
CSJDM, Bulacan

In partial fulfillment of the requirements in the subject

Science 9

Ms. Leah Marie Bencito

Science Teacher

Aporbo, James Rafael V.

Cabelin, Jonhel Christian F.
Mooney, John Humphrey
Pacites, Miguel Joshua
Ravano, Maria Pauline
Table of Contents
Chapter I
Introduction
Background of the study
Statement of the problem
Objectives
Significance of the study
Scope and Limitations
Definition of Terms
Chapter II
Related Literature
Chapter III
Methodology
Materials
Methods
Chapter IV
Results
Discussions
Chapter V
Conclusion
Recommendations
Bibliography
 Chapter I
This chapter shows the background of the study, Statement of the
problem, objectives, significance of the study, Scope and limitations
and Definition of terms. This research is about using lemon and black
peppers as a fly repellant.
Background of the study
The researchers used this topic since flies are a very common pest
of society. And the researchers also have this problem.
Did you know that inhaling black pepper makes you sneeze? The
researchers thought that the situation may be the same as with the flies.
That’s how they came up of using the black pepper as another variable
in the mixture.
Lemons are a very common fruit in the Philippines and it’s very
easy to come by. Lemons are also a very good insect repellant since
citronella is naturally used as an insect repellant.

Statement of the Problem

1. Will the mixture of lemon and black pepper be effective against
houseflies?
2. How will the mixture help with the fly problem in our society?
3. Can the mixture be a good alternative as opposed to chemical
repellants?
Objective
This study aims to reduce the population of flies in an area using
affordable natural ingredients that are easy to find.
Significance of the study
The significance of this study is to make an alternative (which
are made with natural ingredients commonly found) to chemical repellants
which may affect the health of the people since it may contain dangerous
chemicals. It is also made to help reduce the fly population in an area.
Scope and Limitations
The limits of this study is that no chemicals can be added since
it is an all-natural repellant for houseflies. The other limitation is
that the mixture will only be tested on houseflies which are very common
in the Philippines. Only houseflies will be tested and the other kinds
of flies are not going to be tested.
Definition of Terms
1. Houseflies (Musca domestica) – the pests that are going to be
tested and repelled.
2. Lemon (Citrus limon) – one fruits in the Citrus family which will
be used for the repelant in this study
3. Black pepper (Piper nigrum) – the spice that will be mixed with
the lemon in order to create the repellant.
 Chapter II
Review of Related Literature
Taxonomic classification of housefly (Musca domestica)
Kingdom - Animalia
Phylum - Arthropoda - Arthropods
Class - Insecta - Insects
Order - Diptera - Flies
Family - Muscidae - House Flies and kin
Genus - Musca
Species - domestica - House Fly
Taxonomic classification of lemon (Citrus limon)
Kingdom - Plantae – Plants
Division - Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class - Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Order - Sapindales
Family - Rutaceae – Rue family
Genus - Citrus
Species - Citrus L. – citrus P
Taxonomic Classification of Black pepper (Piper nigrum)
Kingdom - Plantae – Plants
Division - Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class - Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Order - Piperales
Family - Piperaceae – Pepper family
Genus - Piper L. – pepper P
Species - Piper nigrum L. – black
pepper
 Before the researchers start the project, they have to know about
the flies they are testing the mixture on. According to Rentokil, “House
flies are major carriers of disease and can infest all types of premises.
They are attracted to all types of food, including human food, pet food,
animal feed, food waste and even feces. Seeing adult flies is usually
the most common sign of activity and a potential problem. Larvae may
also be seen as they crawl out of breeding material to pupate.” Because
of this, houseflies are a very big problem.
The researchers will also have to know what the lemons are commonly
used for. According to The Editors, lemons are used for a lot of things.
Some common uses are:
“For a sore throat or bad breath, gargle with some lemon juice.
After a shampoo, rinse your hair with lemon juice to make it shine. Mix
the strained juice of a lemon in an eight-ounce glass of warm water.
Suck on a lemon to settle an upset stomach.
Clean discolored utensils with a cloth dipped in lemon juice. Rinse with
warm water.
Toss used lemons into your garbage disposal to help keep it clean and
smelling fresh.
Use one-part lemon juice and two parts salt to scour chinaware to its
original luster.
Rub kitchen and bathroom faucets with lemon peel. Wash and dry with a
soft cloth to shine and remove spots.
Fresh lemon juice in rinse water removes soap film from interiors of
ovens and refrigerators.
Fish or onion odor on your hands can be removed by rubbing them with
fresh lemons.
To get odors out of wooden rolling pins, bowls, or cutting boards, rub
with a piece of lemon. Don’t rinse: The wood will absorb the lemon juice.
Clean copper pots by cutting a lemon in half and rubbing the cut side
with salt until the salt sticks. Rub the lemon onto the metal, rinse
with hot water, and polish dry.
Save lemon and orange rinds to deter squirrels and cats from digging in
the garden. Store rinds in the freezer during the winter, and then bury
them just under the surface of the garden periodically throughout the
spring and summer.
A few drops of lemon juice in outdoor house-paint will keep insects away
while you are painting and until the paint dries.
Mix one tablespoon of lemon juice with two tablespoons of salt to make
a rust-removing scrub.
Remove scratches on furniture by mixing equal parts of lemon juice and
salad oil and rubbing it on the scratches with a soft cloth.
To make furniture polish, mix one-part lemon juice and two parts olive
oil.
To clean the surface of white marble or ivory (such as piano keys), rub
with a half a lemon, or make a lemon juice and salt paste. Wipe with a
clean, wet cloth.
To renew hardened paintbrushes, dip into boiling lemon juice. Lower the
heat and leave the brush for 15 minutes, then wash it in soapy water.
To remove dried paint from glass, apply hot lemon juice with a soft
cloth. Leave until nearly dry, and then wipe off.
Create your own air freshener: Slice some lemons, cover with water, and
let simmer in a pot for about an hour. (This will also clean your aluminum
pots!)
Before you start to vacuum, put a few drops of lemon juice in the dust
bag. It will make the house smell fresh.
Get grimy cotton socks white again by boiling them in water with a slice
of lemon.” And those are just some common uses.
They also have to know some common uses of the black pepper.
According to Dr. Mercola (2016),”From the Piperaceae family, the black
pepper plant is a trailing, woody vine that grows in tropical climates.
After three to four years, it bears tiny white blossoms that become
berries known as peppercorns. To make black peppercorns, the berries are
picked before full maturity and turn dark when dried. Variations of green
and white peppercorns are obtained by choosing different stages at which
to pick the berries.1

This is the same spice that, in centuries past, spawned battles,

launched voyages and became one of the signs by which men judged other
men’s wealth. Today, we get to simply buy it at the supermarket, imported
from Vietnam, India and Indonesia, the world’s largest peppercorn
producers.2 Peppercorns are available crushed or powdered, but many
households use a handheld mill for grinding whole peppercorns, which
have a shelf life of about three to four years,3 to get the freshest
product.

Ground pepper retains its optimum freshness and flavor after about
four months,4 but be careful when purchasing, as it is sometimes
“adulterated” with other powders like papaya seed or chili powder.5
Freshly ground pepper turns vinegar and oil dressing — or any dressing
for that matter — into a work of culinary art. When cooking, use it at
the last moment to retain the full flavor of its essential oils.

The researches should also know the organic chemicals that is

inside a lemon that repels flies. According to Karen(2018),
Nootkatone is a naturally occurring organic compound that is mostly
found in grapefruits. This compound is often used as a natural
insecticide and pesticide. It is known to be quite effective against
mosquitoes and ticks.
 D-limonene
Several types of researchers have been carried out to prove the
efficacy of citrus essential oils as repellents for mosquitoes. These
researchers also show that citrus essential oils work against both adult
mosquitoes and larvae.

This is a popularly known efficient way of controlling mosquitoes.

If you couple that with the fact that it is an organic approach that is
not hazardous to plants and animals as well as the environment, you will
agree that this is one of the best ways to fight against mosquitoes.
The source states that citrus is a good way of repelling mosquitoes.
So the researchers thought that “if it can repel mosquitoes, it may repel
flies.”
Since no one has researched about the effects of black peppers on
flies, because of this the researchers will just put the source of their
idea. The researchers thought that if black peppers make us sneeze, the
flies will probably feel the same effect. According to the library of
congress, “Pepper, be it white, black, or green, contains an alkaloid
of pyridine called piperine. Piperine acts as an irritant if it gets
into the nose. It stimulates (or irritates) the nerve endings inside the
mucous membrane. This stimulation will cause you to sneeze. Actually,
the nose wants to kick out this irritant and the only way it knows how
to do this is by sneezing.”
They also have to know the range of how far flies can smell.
According to Stensmyr, M. (2013), Yes, it's true. A fly could smell meat
over that distance, although only under very, very favourable conditions.

"Mark-release-recapture" experiments performed with house flies

caught at a poultry farm showed that flies could find their way back to
the farm from a distance of up to 7 km.
To get this data, the scientists had to tag and release 160,000
flies, of which only 0.05% were recaptured.
So, flies can do it, but far from all will manage this feat.
Seven kilometres is not only a considerable distance to smell
something, for a tiny fly, simply traveling 7 kilometres is a major
effort, taking several days.
Even so, flies are able to detect a smell of rotting meat over long
distances. The exact distance depends on many factors such wind
conditions, size of the meat and landscape features.
 For flies to smell something 7 kilometres away, it nevertheless
has to be a substantial piece of meat like a herd of dead elephants
rotting away in the Sun, or an entire poultry farm.
According to Pollack T., DEET is commonly known as the king of
mosquito repellents, though not everyone is keen to slather it on their
skin. A study conducted in the late 1980s on Everglades National Park
employees to determine the effects of DEET found that a full one-quarter
of the subjects studied experienced negative health effects that they
blamed on exposure to the chemical. Effects included rashes, skin
irritation, numb or burning lips, nausea, headaches, dizziness and
difficulty concentrating.
 Chapter III
Methodology
Materials

 Lemon

 Black peppers (whole)

 Black pepper(ground)
Steps
To start the project, the researches cut the lemon in half. After that,
squeeze the juices from the lemon. Then place some black pepper inside
of each compartments of the lemon since the juices were squeezed out.
After that, sprinkle at least a pack of ground black pepper to amplify
the smell of the pepper. Place the lemon with the cloves in a room (or
outdoors) with flies and observe the changes happening to the number of
flies inside the room or outdoors.

The Repellant (Final Result)

 Chapter IV
Results and Discussions

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3

With lemon and 3-5 flies 0-2 flies 2-6 flies
black pepper (Saturday) (Sunday) (Monday)
repellant
Without lemon 8-10 flies 7-10 flies 9-11 flies
and black pepper (Saturday) (Sunday) (Monday)
repellant

As you can see in this table, the amount of flies when the repellant
is present is significantly lower than when it is not present. For extra
information, the area of testing was in a terrace of one of the
researchers. The area of effect was measured by the amount of flies in
a 10x10 meter area. The researchers estimated the average amount of flies
showing up in the area of effect. Since flies can smell rotting meat
from 7 kilometers away, it is still not known how far can flies smell
fruits. So the researchers just tested it in a 10x10 meter area. The
number of flies is an average of flies showing up in an hour. The results
may vary because of the time of day or night. Also, the reserchers did
not count the other kinds of flies. The researchers only counted the
number of houseflies and not the other kinds. They knew the flies were
houseflies due to significant differences. According to the table, less
flies shown up when there is a repellant. In conclusion, the repellant
was a success. It successfully repelled the flies in a 10x10 area.
The repellant worked because the flies detected the smell of the
lemon and won’t go near it. This is because the lemon contains certain
chemicals that flies don’t like and that’s how the repellant works.
 Chapter V
Conclusions and Recommendations
Conclusion
In conclusion, the repellant was a success. It reduced the amount of
flies in a 10x10 meter area. It is shown in the results and discussions
part of the investigatory project.
The repellant is effective against houseflies. This is because the lemon
of the citrus family contains natural chemicals that naturally repels
the flies. And this works since flies won’t go near the area of the
repellant.
This repellant can help with the fly problem in our society since it can
repel the flies in a 10x10 meter area. This is shown in the results part
of the investigatory project paper. With everyone using this repellant,
they can potentially get rid of a lot of the flies in the area or
community. Though this repellant doesn’t kill flies, it lets the flies
migrate to another place.
The repellant is a very good alternative to chemical repellant. This is
because the chemical repellants may be harmful to the health of humans
and to flies as well. But because this repellant is fully organic, it
will not affect the health of humans. And that’s why this repellant is
a good alternative to chemical ones. There are also repellants that exist
that are not harmful to the health of humans but no one really is sure
since it may be just a scheme of entrepreneurs.
Recommendations
The researchers recommend to use other kind of spices other than black
pepper. The researchers would also recommend to make a more efficient
repellant that won’t spoil easily. This is because lemon that is sliced
and exposed to air spoils a lot faster so the researchers were only able
to experiment for three days. They would also recommend that future
researchers use other fruits from the citrus family since it is a very
good way of repelling flies. They would recommend the future researchers
to focus on the smell of the black pepper and to not add such an
empowering smell of citrus. The research just worked since the citrus
contains strong chemicals that repels flies.
 Bibliography
Iowa State University, Department of Entomology (2003): Identification,
Images, & Information For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin For the United
States & Canada: Accessed on March 2, 2019
URL: https://bugguide.net/node/view/39559/tree

United States department of Agriculture: Classification for Kingdom

Plantae Down to Genus Citrus L. Accessed on: March 2, 2019
URL:
https://plants.usda.gov/java/ClassificationServlet?source=display&clas
sid=CITRU2

Rentokil: Common Fly Species: Accessed on: March 2, 2019

URL: https://www.rentokil.com.ph/flies/species/

The Editors (January 23, 2018): The old farmer’s almanac “HOUSEHOLD USES
FOR LEMONS” Accessed on: March 2, 2019
URL: https://www.almanac.com/content/household-uses-lemons

United States department of Agriculture. Classification for Kingdom

Plantae Down to Species Piper nigrum L. Acesed on: March 17, 2019
URL:
https://plants.usda.gov/java/ClassificationServlet?source=display&clas
sid=PINI3

Dr. Mercola (October 12, 2016). What Is Black Pepper Good For?. Accessed
on : March 17, 2019
URL: https://foodfacts.mercola.com/black-pepper.html

Karen (April 26, 2018). Citrus Fruit Might Provide Us With An Alternative
Way To Fight Mosquitoes. Accessed on: March 23, 2019
URL:https://insectcop.net/citrus-fruit-might-provide-us-with-an-
alternative-way-to-fight-mosquitoes/

The library of congress (September 28, 2018). Why does pepper make you
sneeze? Accessed on: March 23, 2019
URL: http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/pepper.html

Stensmyr, M. (February 21, 2013). From how far can flies smell food?
Accessed on: March 25, 2019
URL: https://www.thenakedscientists.com/articles/questions/how-far-can-
flies-smell-food
Pollack T. Is it true that the DEET used in most mosquito repellents is
toxic? Accessed on: March 25, 2019
URL: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-it-true-that-the-
deet/

Appendix