Haddonfield High School AP Biology Class Stink Bug Project Gains Attention of Major Internet Blogger

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Haddonfield, NJ – Grace Lavigne, author of PRNewswire’s popular blog, Ask Me a Question, interviewed Haddonfield Memorial High’s Andrew Peric for part of a story she wrote about methods for controlling stink bugs for PRNewswire, one of the largest news distribution services in the United States.

HMHS teacher Gene Kornak recently asked each of his three advanced placement (AP) biology classes to create a fictional company and come up with a product that would prevent or stop stink bug infestations.

While two of the biology classes considered ideas such as to infect stink bugs with a fungus to kill them, or to put up physical barriers or use sprays to prevent them from entering a dwelling, a panelist of teachers and past students decided that HMHS junior Andrew Peric and his team had come up with the most effective and green solution.

Peric was the leader of a group that named their "business" The Franklin Initiative and wanted to market an idea that was simple, efficient and nature-friendly.

After thorough research of their ideas, Peric and his team discovered that plugging up a house wouldn’t effectively prevent stink bugs from entering. Also, because dead stinkbugs attract other stink bugs, they wanted to find a solution to rid the bugs without killing them.
They did not consider use of pesticides because they often have harmful environmental side effects. Peric and his group eventually discovered a unique and green solution for getting rid of the pests: Allicin, a compound in garlic.

“Our team’s environmental approach was decided based on case studies we found by World Intellectual Property Organization that showed Allicin might be effective at deterring stinkbugs,” said Peric.

Allicin is naturally found in garlic, so although Peric and his team decided to "market" a fertilizer infused with Allicin, they also discovered that simply placing garlic around your house or deck will also prevent stink bugs.

“Don't crush the garlic because that causes the Allicin compound to decompose,” says Peric.

For more information about PRNewswire’s Ask Me a Question, visit: http://bit.ly/jMoHjL.

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