Relative Abundance and Comparative Breeding Structure of Subterranean Termite Colonies (Reticulitermes flavipes, Reticulitermes hageni, Reticulitermes virginicus, and Coptotermes formosanus) in a South Carolina Lowcountry Site as Revealed by Molecular Markers

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)

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Concentration-Dependent Feeding Deterrence to 20-Hydroxyecdysone for Three Subterranean Termite Species (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae)

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects12030218 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 218

Author(s):

Lucas Carnohan ◽

Sang-Bin Lee ◽

Nan-Yao Su

Keyword(s):

Reticulitermes Flavipes ◽

Coptotermes Formosanus ◽

Subterranean Termite ◽

Choice Test ◽

Molting Hormone ◽

Feeding Deterrence ◽

Insect Feeding ◽

Substrate Consumption ◽

Termite Species ◽

Potential Methods

Effective active ingredients in toxicant bait formulations must be non-deterrent to insect feeding behavior at lethal concentrations. This study evaluated feeding deterrence for Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, C. gestroi (Wasmann), and Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) when provided access to cellulose impregnated with various concentrations of the insect molting hormone, 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E). Termites were exposed to 20E concentrations of 200, 500, 1000 and 2000 ppm and to noviflumuron at 5000 ppm in a 24 h choice-test, and the mass of substrate consumption from treated and untreated media pads was compared for each treatment. 20E feeding deterrence was detected at 500, 1000 and 2000 ppm for C. gestroi, and at 2000 ppm for C. formosanus. No significant differences in consumption of treated and untreated substrate was detected at any concentration for R. flavipes. Potential methods for reducing deterrence are discussed.

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Worker Size in the Formosan Subterranean Termite in Relation to Colony Breeding Structure as Inferred from Molecular Markers

Environmental Entomology ◽

10.1093/ee/37.2.400 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 37 (2) ◽

pp. 400-408 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Claudia Husseneder ◽

Janine E. Powell ◽

J. Kenneth Grace ◽

Edward L. Vargo ◽

Kenji Matsuura

Keyword(s):

Molecular Markers ◽

Subterranean Termite ◽

Formosan Subterranean Termite ◽

Breeding Structure ◽

Worker Size

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HIERARCHICAL ANALYSIS OF COLONY AND POPULATION GENETIC STRUCTURE OF THE EASTERN SUBTERRANEAN TERMITE, RETICULITERMES FLAVIPES, USING TWO CLASSES OF MOLECULAR MARKERS

Evolution ◽

10.1554/03-336 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 57 (12) ◽

pp. 2805 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Edward L. Vargo

Keyword(s):

Molecular Markers ◽

Genetic Structure ◽

Population Genetic Structure ◽

Population Genetic ◽

Reticulitermes Flavipes ◽

Subterranean Termite ◽

Hierarchical Analysis ◽

Eastern Subterranean Termite

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Effect of Temperature and Humidity on Survival of Coptotermes formosanus and Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

Sociobiology ◽

10.13102/sociobiology.v59i2.883 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 59 (2) ◽

pp. 381 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Beverly Wiltz

Keyword(s):

Small Groups ◽

Reticulitermes Flavipes ◽

Coptotermes Formosanus ◽

Subterranean Termite ◽

Effect Of Temperature ◽

Optimum Conditions ◽

Survival Times ◽

Species Survival ◽

Temperature And Humidity ◽

Eastern Subterranean Termite

Two subterranean termite species were subjected to combinations of six temperatures (10°, 15°, 20°, 25°, 30°, or 35°C) and five relative humidities (RH) (55, 65, 75, 85, or 99%) to determine optimum conditions for survival. When small groups of the Formosan subterranean termite Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki or the eastern subterranean termite Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) were exposed to all 30 combinations of temperature and RH, survival times were significantly influenced by temperature, RH, and their interaction. For both species, survival times were longest at low temperatures and high RH. Maximum survival of small groups of C. formosanus and R. flavipes workers and soldiers occurred at the combination of 10°C and 99% RH C (LT50= 28.2 d, LT50 = 18.1 d, respectively). Survival of paired C. formosanus dealates was evaluated at combinations of 20°, 25°, or 30°C and 55, 65, 75, 85, or 99% RH. Survival was strongly influenced by temperature and humidity. Longest survival times until 50% mortality occurred at 99% RH and 20° or 25°C (LT50= 2.5 d, LT50 = 3.0 d, respectively). At all temperatures, mortality occurred too quickly for LT50 values to be determined when RH was 55% or 65%.

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RETENTION TIME AND TOXICITY OF A DYE MARKER, SUNDAN RED 7B, ON FORMOSAN AND EASTERN SUBTERRANEAN TERMITES (ISOPTERA: RHINOTERMITIDAE)

Journal of Entomological Science ◽

10.18474/0749-8004-23.3.235 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 23 (3) ◽

pp. 235-239 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Nan-Yao Su ◽

Rudolf H. Scheffrahn ◽

Paul Ban

Keyword(s):

Population Size ◽

Retention Time ◽

Reticulitermes Flavipes ◽

Coptotermes Formosanus ◽

Subterranean Termite ◽

Subterranean Termites ◽

Mark Recapture ◽

Coptotermes Formosanus Shiraki ◽

Eastern Subterranean Termite ◽

Significant Mortality

Workers of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, and the eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) were force-fed a dye marker, Sudan Red 7B, and confined with different proportions of unmarked termites. No significant mortality due to the dye was detected for up to 8 weeks after the treatment in either species. The marked/unmarked proportion did not affect the retention of the dye or mortality. Workers of C. formosanus retained visible dye for 6 weeks, while significant numbers (10–50%) of marked R. flavipes lost the dye within two weeks. Sudan Red 7B is suitable for estimating population size of C. formosanus with the multiple-marking method where the mark-recapture period extends to 6 weeks. The dye is not an adequate marker for R. flavipes when the mark-recapture period is ≥ 2 weeks.

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Genetic diversity and colony breeding structure in native and introduced ranges of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus

Biological Invasions ◽

10.1007/s10530-011-0087-7 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 419-437 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Claudia Husseneder ◽

Dawn M. Simms ◽

Jennifer R. Delatte ◽

Changlu Wang ◽

J. Kenneth Grace ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genetic Diversity ◽

Coptotermes Formosanus ◽

Subterranean Termite ◽

Formosan Subterranean Termite ◽

Breeding Structure ◽

Native And Introduced Ranges

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Temperature-Mediated Variations in Behavior and Mortality Caused by Non-Repellent Insecticides in Subterranean Termites (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae)

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects10020037 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 37

Author(s):

Franklin Quarcoo ◽

Xing Hu ◽

Arthur Appel

Keyword(s):

Reticulitermes Flavipes ◽

Coptotermes Formosanus ◽

Subterranean Termite ◽

Behavioral Symptoms ◽

Subterranean Termites ◽

Coptotermes Formosanus Shiraki ◽

Lethal Time

Behavioral symptoms and mortality associated with intoxication with insecticides fipronil and indoxacarb were determined in field-collected eastern subterranean termites, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar), and Formosan subterranean termites, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki. Behaviors and mortality were evaluated at three temperatures (16, 22, and 28 °C) and three concentrations of fipronil (0.5, 1, and 5 ppm) and indoxacarb (50, 75, and 100 ppm). LT50 (median lethal time to kill 50% of the termites) values declined with increasing concentrations and temperatures for both fipronil-exposed eastern and Formosan subterranean termites, whereas these values were not always the highest at 16 °C for indoxacarb-treated termites. The greatest change (reduction) in LT50 values occurred for both species between 16 and 22 °C at the lowest concentration of each insecticide. Intoxication and moribundity were the most frequently observed behaviors for fipronil-exposed termites, whereas intoxication, ataxia, and moribundity were observed for most concentration and temperature combinations for indoxacarb-exposed termites. The inherent toxicity of fipronil was higher than that of indoxacarb. The higher presence and duration of intoxication behaviors may positively affect the performance of indoxacarb against subterranean termite colonies.

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Colony Characteristics and Seasonal Activity of the Formosan Subterranean Termite (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) in Louis Armstrong Park, New Orleans, Louisiana

Journal of Entomological Science ◽

10.18474/0749-8004-40.3.268 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 40 (3) ◽

pp. 268-279 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Matthew T. Messenger ◽

Nan-Yao Su

Keyword(s):

New Orleans ◽

Large Scale ◽

Consumption Rate ◽

Reticulitermes Flavipes ◽

Coptotermes Formosanus ◽

Subterranean Termite ◽

Territory Size ◽

Seasonal Activity ◽

Formosan Subterranean Termite ◽

Wood Consumption

Beginning in 1998, multiple mark-recapture studies were conducted inside 12.75-ha Louis Armstrong Park in New Orleans, LA, to locate and characterize all detectable colonies of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae), established within the park. This is the first attempt to characterize subterranean termite colonies on such a large scale within a defined area. As a result, 13 C. formosanus colonies were identified using characteristics such as mean worker weight (range, 2.96–4.54 mg), foraging territory size (range, 83–1634 m2), and wood consumption rate (range, 0.6–5.2 g wood/monitoring station/day). In addition, six Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) colonies were identified throughout the park. A total of 251 of 785 (~32%) trees in the park were infested by C. formosanus colonies. Foraging territories of each colony remained relatively stable over a 4-yr period, with seasonal activity within monitoring stations increasing during the summer and decreasing during winter.

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