• KAYALVIZHI R
• DR J EBANASAR
• P DHOTTAMMA

Haematophagus leech species are found distributed in the tropical and subtropical indo-Pacific Regions. Land leech species of Haemadipsa montana (Moore,.1927) is the dominant land leech species found in South India. Leeches were collected from Nadugani area of Nilgiris and identified. The leeches were evaluated for repellency against selected aromatic oils viz., tea tree oil, lavender oil, and peppermint oil. Repellency was evaluated in three different concentrations viz., 1%, 3%, and 5% and for each concentration 10 leeches were used. The following indices of repellency activity viz,. repellency (%), effectiveness period of oils, and Effectiveness repellency concentration (ECR). ECR50, ECR75, ECR95 in 3 hrs and 6 hrs interval were used. Lavender oil showed high repellency of 83.41% at 5% concentration after 3 hrs exposure and peppermint oil showed least repellency of 28.88% at 1% concentration after 6 hrs exposures. Lavender oil has effective concentration of 50% repellency (ECR-50) as 1.837% at 3 hrs of interval and 95% repellency (ECR-95) of 4.643%. The result revealed that lavender oil shows high activity even at low concentration. Among the three peppermint oil has least activity with effective concentration of 50% repellency (ECR-50) of 3.072 % at 3 hrs of interval and 95% repellency (ECR-95) been 7.520 %. Hence tea tree oil is also considerable for repellent activity against H. montana. Even though aromatic oils have repellency against leech bite the oils can be used by Ecotourists and estate workers for avoiding leech bite.

Heamadipsa montana, Tea tree oil, Lavender oil, Peppermint oil, Leech repellent.

"Repellent activity of selected aromatic oils on land leech Haemadipsa montana, Moore: 1927.", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.8, Issue 11, page no.c273-c278, November-2021, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2111237.pdf

"Repellent activity of selected aromatic oils on land leech Haemadipsa montana, Moore: 1927.", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.8, Issue 11, page no. ppc273-c278, November-2021, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2111237.pdf