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27 April 2019 Avoidance of rosemary oil by scorpions
Sara Kelley, Katy Yut, Ritu Kulkarni, Douglas D. Gaffin
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

Scorpion stings are prevalent and sometimes deadly. Rosemary oil deters phytophagous insects, so we investigated whether scorpions, which prey on insects, might also be deterred. We tested the repellant properties of rosemary oil on adult Centruroides vittatus Say, 1821 scorpions in an arena lined with sand infused with rosemary oil on one side and mineral oil on the other. A middle, neutral zone consisting of dry sand ensured independence between the two sections. Scorpions spent significantly more time on the mineral oil sand (P = 0.0031). Next, we tested 1,8-cineole, the primary component of rosemary oil, against mineral oil and found no preference (P = 0.789). These findings suggest that scorpions may be repelled holistically by rosemary oil, rather than the tested primary component. Future studies could test other components of rosemary oil in varying combinations to determine the critical ingredients responsible for the avoidance behavior induced by the complete mixture.

Sara Kelley, Katy Yut, Ritu Kulkarni, and Douglas D. Gaffin "Avoidance of rosemary oil by scorpions," The Journal of Arachnology 47(1), 159-161, (27 April 2019). https://doi.org/10.1636/0161-8202-47.1.159
Received: 4 March 2018; Published: 27 April 2019
KEYWORDS
1,8-cineole
behavior
Buthidae
repellent
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