The use of synthetic organic pesticides has serious economic, social and environmental
ramifications. Thus, this study describes the experiments using botanical and bacterial
extracts to control the samsum ant (Pachycondyla sennaarensis). This ant is widely distributed
in many parts of southern Saudi Arabia, and has been established as a household pest ant.
Three Saudi plants, harmal (Rhaza stricta), boxthorn (Lycium shawii) and artemisia (Artemisia
inculta) and two bacterial extracts, Pseudomonas frederiksbergensis and Streptomyces sp. were

Pulicaria genus belongs to the family Compositae. Some species of this genus
have been used in traditional Arab medicine as antispasmodic agent. In this study the
Pulicaria glutinosa, which is a wild growing shrub in Saudi Arabia have been explored
for developmental toxicity using zebrafish embryos. The fractionated crude extract showed
diverse biological activity as methanol fraction exhibited highest antioxidant activity
(IC50 12.2±0.27%) followed by chloroform fraction (18.1±0.36%), while hexane fraction

The use of entomopathogenic fungi is a promising alternative to chemical control
against mosquitoes. In February 2013, two fungi were isolated from the Samsum ant, Pachycondyla
sennaarensis, Mayr, (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) collected in Riyadh, KSA. One of
these fungi, identified as Fusarium solani was highly pathogenic against larvae of the mosquito,
Aedes caspius (Diptera: Culicidae). F. solani killed 100% of Ae. caspius within 5 days of exposure
to the concentration of 5 × 107 cfu/ml. Also, results indicated that F. solani was more