Ampicillin, tetracycline and urea as protozoicides for symbionts of Reticulitermes flavipes and R. virginicus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

1996 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah Ann Waller
Keyword(s):  
Filter Paper ◽  
Reticulitermes Flavipes ◽  
Toxic Effects ◽  
Subterranean Termites ◽  
Promising Candidate ◽  
Individual Biomass ◽  
Termite Control ◽  
Choice Tests ◽  
Control Programmes

AbstractThe development of palatable baits for the suppresion of pest termites relies on combining phagostimulants with slow-acting toxicants that termite foragers carry back to the colony and distribute to nest-mates. In the present study the palatability and toxic effects of three compounds, ampicillin, tetracycline and urea to the subterranean termites Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) and R. virginicus (Banks) were investigated. 1.0% solutions (w/v) of ampicillin and tetracycline applied to filter paper were unpalatable to termites in choice tests, and these concentrations depressed termite feeding, survivorship, individual biomass, and numbers of gut protozoa in no-choice tests. In contrast, urea solutions of 0.1%, 1.0% and 5.0% (w/v) were palatable to termites in choice tests, but 5.0% urea solutions depressed termite survivorship and protozoan numbers in no-choice tests. Addition of urea to tetra- cycline solutions resulted in increased palatability and decreased termite survivorship over tetracycline administered alone. The toxic effects in combination with its palatability to Reticulitermes spp. indicate that urea may be a promising candidate for termite control programmes.

Erythritol Ingestion Causes Concentration-Dependent Mortality in Eastern Subterranean Termites (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginia Caponera ◽  
Meghan Barrett ◽  
Daniel R Marenda ◽  
Sean O’donnell
Keyword(s):  
Reticulitermes Flavipes ◽  
Subterranean Termites ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Safe Alternative ◽  
Lethal Effects ◽  
Termite Control ◽  
And Control ◽  
Further Development ◽  
Treatment Concentration ◽  
Dependent Mortality

Abstract Damage from termite infestations is economically significant and control can be costly when requiring the widespread use of conventional insecticides. Erythritol, a polyalcohol sweetener that is safe for human consumption, causes increased mortality when ingested by some insects, indicating potential as a safe alternative insecticide. Here, we investigated the applicability of erythritol as a novel toxicant method of termite control. Eastern subterranean termites, Reticulitermes flavipes Kollar (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae), were fed paper foods treated with increasing concentrations of erythritol and were assessed for mortality and bait consumption. Termite survival to 8 d (the duration of the experiment) significantly decreased as erythritol treatment concentration increased, indicating that the lethal effects of erythritol were concentration-dependent. Termites consumed erythritol-treated paper at all concentrations and did not display avoidance in choice assays, suggesting that erythritol may be practical for use as an ingestible bait. These results provide a basis for further development of erythritol as a safe alternative method of termite control.

scholarly journals BIOAKTIVITAS EKSTRAK SARANG SEMUT Myrmecodia pendens TERHADAP RAYAP TANAH Coptotermes curvignathus Holmgren

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Ramadhan Dwi ◽  
. Nurhaida
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Filter Paper ◽  
Optimum Concentration ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
Subterranean Termites ◽  
Wood Technology ◽  
Average Value ◽  
Extract Solution ◽  
Herbal Plants ◽  
Food Substrates

Myrmecodia pendens are epiphytic plants which known as herbal plants in some region in Indonesia. The purpose of this study was to examine Myrmecodia pendens extracts with different concentrations against subterranean termites Coptotermes curvignathus Holmgren. The research was conducted at the Wood Technology Laboratory, Forestry Faculty, Tanjungpura University for three months. Myrmecodia pendens was from Maluku Island. 50 gram Myrmecodia pendens was extract with methanol with ratio 1:3,  then the extract was made into five concentrations i.e. 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10%. Filter paper then dipped into the extract solution and used for food substrates of termites. The bioassay was conducted for 21 days in termite’s chamber room. Each treatment has three replications. The indicator used for evaluate the effectiveness of the extract was termites mortality and filter paper weight loss. The results showed the rendemen of Myrmecodia pendens extract was 24.1888 gram (23.1576%). The average value of termite’s mortality was 67.33% - 100.00%. The concentration of 2% has termites mortality values of 67.33% and included in the category of strong levels of anti-termite activity. The highest termite’s mortality value was achieved on concentration of 10%. The average value of filter paper weight loss was 33.54% – 65.27%. The highest concentration of the extracts resulted in the lowest filter paper weight loss. Meanwhile on control treatment the average values of termites mortality was 14.67% and the filter paper weight loss was 73.22%. The extract Myrmecodia pendens was effectives to inhibition the subterranean termites attacks. The optimum concentration of Myrmecodia pendens extract was achieved at concentration 6% with termites mortality value was 78% with category of very strong levels of anti-termite activity.Keywords : antitermites, Coptotermes curvignathus, Myrmecodia pendens, preservation

scholarly journals Subterranean Termite Social Alarm and Hygienic Responses to Fungal Pathogens

Insects ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark S. Bulmer ◽  
Bruno A. Franco ◽  
Edith G. Fields
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Pathogens ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Reticulitermes Flavipes ◽  
Subterranean Termites ◽  
Social Mechanisms ◽  
Metarhizium Robertsii ◽  
Social Hygiene ◽  
Alarm Behavior ◽  
Oscillatory Movement ◽  
Different Strains

In social insects, alerting nestmates to the presence of a pathogen should be critical for limiting its spread and initiating social mechanisms of defense. Here we show that subterranean termites use elevated vibratory alarm behavior to help prevent fatal fungal infections. The elevated alarm leads to elevated social hygiene. This requires that termites coalesce so that they can groom each other’s cuticular surfaces of contaminating conidial spores. Groups of 12 Reticulitermes flavipes workers varied in their response when immersed in conidia solutions of nine different strains of Metarhizium. Pathogen alarm displays of short 2–7-second bursts of rapid longitudinal oscillatory movement (LOM), observed over 12 min following a fungal challenge, were positively correlated with the time that workers spent aggregated together grooming each other. The frequency of these LOMs was inversely correlated with fatal fungal infections. The variation in fatalities appeared to be largely attributable to a differential response to Metarhizium brunneum and Metarhizium robertsii in the time spent in aggregations and the frequency of allogrooming. Isolated workers challenged with conidia did not display LOMs, which suggests that the alarm is a conditional social response. LOMs appear to help signal the presence of fungal pathogens whose virulence depends on the level of this emergency alert.

Termite Behavior: Measuring the Postanoxic Consumption Rates of Landscape Mulches by Eastern Subterranean Termites

2013 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-45
Author(s):  
D. Parks Collins
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Reticulitermes Flavipes ◽  
Statistical Test ◽  
Subterranean Termite ◽  
Subterranean Termites ◽  
Eastern United States ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Consumption Rates ◽  
Petri Dishes ◽  
Eastern Subterranean Termite

Populations of the Eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes, are widespread throughout most of the eastern United States. Subterranean termites have the ability to survive flooding conditions by lowering their metabolism. This lesson investigates the connection between the ability of termites to lower their metabolism to survive floods and their feeding behavior. Using an incubator, Petri dishes, and different types of mulch, termite consumption can be measured and compared. These results can be analyzed with a simple statistical test to look for significance.

Termite-resistant heartwood. Effect of antioxidants on termite feeding deterrence and mortality

Holzforschung ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan S. Little ◽  
Tor P. Schultz ◽  
Darrel D. Nicholas
Keyword(s):  
Antioxidant Properties ◽  
Reticulitermes Flavipes ◽  
Butylated Hydroxytoluene ◽  
Feeding Deterrence ◽  
Decay Fungi ◽  
Choice Tests ◽  
Natural And Synthetic

Abstract Biocides currently employed to prevent termite damage face environmental and toxicity concerns. We recently proposed that heartwood which is naturally resistant to termites might be due to the extractives having both toxicity and antioxidant properties and we reported that the artificial and benign antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) had termite feeding deterrence and toxicity properties. Here, we investigate other antioxidants, both natural and synthetic, and analogs which lack antioxidant properties, on Reticulitermes flavipes Kollar. Laboratory no-choice tests according to AWPA Standard E1 were performed. Antioxidants that are benign to humans had feeding deterrence and mortality properties to R. flavipes. Conversely, the non-antioxidant analogs, with the exception of the heterocyclic flavanone which was previously shown to be active against decay fungi, had little effect on R. flavipes. We conclude that R. flavipes avoids wood which contain high levels of antioxidants, such as heartwood with phenolic extractives.

scholarly journals Native Subterranean Termites: Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar), Reticulitermes virginicus (Banks), Reticulitermes hageni Banks (Insecta: Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

EDIS ◽  
1969 ◽  
Vol 2004 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nan-Yao Su ◽  
Rudolf H. Scheffrahn ◽  
Brian Cabrera
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Reticulitermes Flavipes ◽  
Subterranean Termite ◽  
Subterranean Termites ◽  
Eastern Region ◽  
Pest Species ◽  
University Of Florida ◽  
Reticulitermes Virginicus ◽  
Eastern Subterranean Termite ◽  
Reticulitermes Hageni

Most pest species of subterranean termites in North America belong to the endemic genus Reticulitermes. Reticulitermes species are found in every state in the continental United States except Alaska, but are most common in the warm and humid southeastern region. The eastern subterranean termite, R. flavipes is the most widely distributed and is found in the entire eastern region of North America as far north as Ontario, Canada, and south to Key Largo, Florida. Its counterpart, the western subterranean termite, R. hesperus Banks, is found along the entire Pacific Coast ranging from southern California to British Columbia. Reticulitermes tibialis occurs in the inter-mountain region of the West. In addition to R. flavipes, two other Reticulitermes occur in Florida, R. virginicus, and R. hageni. This document is EENY-212, one of a series of Featured Creatures from the Entomology and Nematology Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Published: May 2001. EENY-212/IN369: Native Subterranean Termites: Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar), Reticulitermes virginicus (Banks), Reticulitermes hageni Banks (Insecta: Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) (ufl.edu)

scholarly journals The Effects of Trichoderma Fungi on the Tunneling, Aggregation, and Colony-Initiation Preferences of Black-Winged Subterranean Termites, Odontotermes formosanus (Blattodea: Termitidae)

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiong ◽  
Cai ◽  
Chen ◽  
Liang ◽  
Wen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Trichoderma Viride ◽  
Choice Test ◽  
Subterranean Termites ◽  
Trichoderma Koningii ◽  
Trichoderma Hamatum ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Choice Tests ◽  
Trichoderma Fungi ◽  
Aggregation Behaviors ◽  
Odontotermes Formosanus

The black-winged subterranean termite, Odontotermes formosanus Shiraki, is a severe pest of plantations and forests in China. This termite cultures symbiotic Termitomyces in the fungal combs, which are challenged by antagonistic microbes such as Trichoderma fungi. In a previous study we showed that O. formosanus workers made significantly fewer tunnels in sand containing commercially formulated conidia of Trichoderma viride Pers. ex Fries compared with untreated sand. Herein, we hypothesize that fungi in the genus Trichoderma exert repellent effects on O. formosanus. Different choice tests were conducted to evaluate the tunneling and aggregation behaviors of O. formosanus workers reacting to sand/soil containing the unformulated conidia of seven Trichoderma fungi (Trichoderma longibrachiatum Rifai, Trichoderma koningii Oud., Trichoderma harzianum Rifai, Trichoderma hamatum (Bon.) Bain, Trichoderma atroviride Karsten, Trichoderma spirale Indira and Kamala, and T. viride). We also investigated the colony-initiation preference of paired O. formosanus adults to soil treated with Trichoderma conidia (T. koningii or T. longibrachiatum) versus untreated soil. Tunneling-choice tests showed that sand containing conidia of nearly all Trichoderma fungi tested (except T. harzianum) significantly decreased tunneling activity in O. formosanus workers compared with untreated sand. Aggregation-choice test showed that T. koningii, T. atroviride and T. spirale repelled O. formosanus workers, whereas T. longibrachiatum and T. hamatum attracted termites. There was no significant difference in proportions of paired adults that stayed and laid eggs in the soil blocks treated with conidia of Trichoderma fungi and untreated ones. Our study showed that Trichoderma fungi generally repelled tunneling in O. formosanus, but may exert varied effects on aggregation preference by workers.

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