More
Information |
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Name |
Kantibhai A Patel, (Teacher), Jayesh Ashwinbhai Patel and Sachin Pravinbhai Patel (Students), |
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District |
Dist. Mehsana. |
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Title |
Modern scarecrow |
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Details |
In the monsoon, insects and pests pose a menace to crops. Rather than make use of damaging pesticides and insecticides, Kantibhai Patel, a primary school teacher, along with two of his students has developed a modern scarecrow (storytelling statue or chaadiyo) to control insects. An old bearing is installed on an iron stand. An empty galvanized tin that has become useless is given the shape of a human. Strips are cut out from the tin and bent in the shape of fan blades. These ‘arms’ rotate when the wind blows. Pieces of a broken mirror are stuck on the body of tin and it is painted yellow so that it reflects the rays of the sun. Animals and birds will not come near the standing crops. Small bells attached to both sides of the scarecrow’s head ring continuously as they are touched by the scarecrow’s rotating arms. This noise keeps animals like rats away. A sticky substance is applied on the surface of the tin. The wings of insects flying near the crops get stuck and they die. A lighted oil lamp is kept in the tin at night to attract larvae, insects and white flies. They fly towards the lamp and drown in the oil in the container of the lamp. In this way, a scarecrow prepared with minimum expense can save crops from damage by stray birds, animals and insects. |
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Volume No. |
Honey Bee, 9(4): 14, 1998 |
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Sout |
Comm: Govindbhai A Rawal (Principal) |
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Call Number |
9436 |