Essential oils (EOs) are potential natural substitutes for synthetic insecticides. This study investigated the ovicidal efficacy and environmental safety of single and combined formulations of anise ( Pimpinella anisum ) and fennel ( Foeniculum vulgare ) EOs against the housefly, Musca domestica . For efficacy evaluation, all formulations were stored at 25 °C and their ovicidal activity and stability were assessed after one year, using α -cypermethrin as a standard insecticide control. A 1:1 anise–fennel EO mixture showed the highest activity, achieving complete ovicidal effect (100%) for up to 6 months under laboratory conditions, with LC 50 values of 0.07–0.08 µL egg⁻¹. After one year of storage, the formulation remained highly effective, with 95% inhibition and an LC 50 of 0.08 µL egg⁻¹. The combined formulation exhibited strong ovicidal synergy and was more effective than individual EO formulations and α-cypermethrin at all time points (synergistic inhibition index: 12.9–16.3). Morphological observations of treated eggs revealed damage to the hatching line, aeropyles, and plastron. In a separate safety assessment, toxicity was evaluated using the non-target earthworm Eisenia fetida , where all EO treatments showed no apparent toxicity, while α-cypermethrin was highly toxic. These results demonstrate that the 1:1 combined anise and fennel EO formulation is an effective, stable, and environmentally safe ovicidal agent for sustainable housefly control.
Passara et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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