Coptotermes formosanus

In addition to their mandibles, which are used to bite, pierce, shear, and cut intruders, soldiers of Coptotermes formosanus, a Formosan subterranean termite, are also armed with chemical weaponry. When disturbed, the soldiers secrete a gluelike white fluid from the frontal gland, which often form a drop between the open mandibles. Lignoceric and hexacosanoic acids were the two major components identified in this secretion [183]. 

Imamura etal. (1986) exposed particleboard made from acetylated wood to the termite species Coptotermes formosanus and Reticulitermes speratus. A forced feeding test according to the JWPA standard 11-1981, where the untreated or acetylated wood was the only food source, and a choice feeding test (where wood specimens were randomly placed on a termite breeding colony for 30 days) were used. With C. formosanus, there was limited attack of the fully acetylated boards, with about 50 % termite mortality after 3 weeks in forced feeding tests, whereas with R. sparatus there was virtually no attack and 100% mortality. 

Zhu BCR, Henderson G, Chen F, Maistrello L, Laine RA, Nootkatone is a repellent for Formosan subterranean termite Coptotermes formosanus), J Chem. Eco/27 523-531,2001. 

Cornelius M. L. and Brand J. M. (2001) Trail-following behavior of Coptotermes formosanus and Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera Rhinotermitidae) is there a species-specific response Environ. Entomol. 30, 457 -65. 

McDaniel, C. A. (1990). Cuticular hydrocarbons of the Formosan termite Coptotermes formosanus. Sociobiology, 16, 265-273. 

Haverty, M.I., Grace, J.K., Nelson, L.J. and Yamamoto, R.T. (1996c). Intercaste, intercolony, and temporal variation in cuticular hydrocarbons of Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Isoptera Rhinotermitidae). J. Chem. Ecol., 22,1813-1834. 

Haverty, M.I., Nelson, L. J. and Page, M. (1990a). Cuticular hydrocarbons of four populations of Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki in the United States. Similarities and origins of introductions../. Chem. Ecol., 16,1635-1647. 

Direct evidence for the use of hydrocarbons in nestmate recognition in social insects has been accumulating over the last fifteen years. When workers of the subterranean termites Reticulitermes speratus and Coptotermes formosanus were topically supplemented with the purified hydrocarbon profile of the other species, this was followed by an increase of aggression by nestmate soldiers (Takahashi and Gassa, 1995). Similarly, the topical application of (Z)-9-C23 1 onto the cuticle of workers of the ant Camponotus vagus resulted in increased antennation and threat in the form of mandible opening (Meskali et al., 1995b). These examples, however, concern qualitatively different hydrocarbons, and thus not variation in abundance that is typical for colonies of the same species. 

Table 4 Laboratory Tests of Epichlorohydrin-Treated Wood Exposed to the Subterranean Termites Coptotermes formosanus ...

Wood Reaction phase Time (h) Coptotermes formosanus WL (%) Reticulitermes speratus... 

Figure 2 Mortality of worker termites of Coptotermes formosanus fed on formalized...

Table 9 Weight loss (WL) of Cedar Blocks Treated with Three Crosslinking Agents Due to Termite Attack, and Mortality (MT) of Worker Termites After Forced-Feeding Tests with Coptotermes formosanus for 9 Weeks and with Reticulitermes speratus for 3 Weeks.

Agent Cone. (%r Coptotermes formosanus Reticulitermes speratus ... 

Number-averaged molecular weight, Tyromyces palustris, Coriolus versicolor, soil burial, Coptotermes formosanus. 

Property enhancement by acetylation has been frequently reported over the years in other reconstituted wood products such as flakeboards, particleboards, and fiberboards [8,9,11,12,59-64]. Table 16 shows the laboratory decay test of low-density acetylated particleboards made from perishable albizzia wood. They were resistant to attack by Tyromyces palustris (brown rot), Coriolus versicolor (white rot), and Chaetomium globosum (soft rot) above 12% WPG. These acetylated boards with 20% WPG also exhibited an improved resistance to attack by the destructive Formosan termite, Coptotermes formosanus, in the laboratory. However, their performance was unsatisfactory in the wet tropics with a higher hazard of termite attack. High resistance to fungal and bacterial attack in acetylated southern pine and aspen flakeboards was evidenced in laboratory and fungus cellar tests [12]. 

Particles were dipped into PF-resin solution for 30 min prior to board manufacture. PF resin solution was sprayed on particles together with bonding PF resin. Tyromyces palustris, Coriolus versicolor, soil burial, Coptotermes formosanus. Source Ref. 65. 

Chen J, Henderson G, Laine RA (1998) Isolation and identification of a 2-phenoxyethanol from a ballpoint pen ink as a trail-following substance of Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki and Reticulitermes sp. J Entomol Sci 33 97-105... 

Rojas MG, Morales-Ramos JA. Disruption of reproductive activity of Coptotermes formosanus (Isoptera Rhmotermitidae) primary repro-ductives by three chitin synthesis inhibitors. J. Econ. Entomol. 2004, 97, 2015-2020. 

As a liquid termiticide, fipronil provides long-term (>10 years) control of many urban termite species [113]. It is not detected in the soil by termites [114, 115] and its relatively slow action against both subterranean Reticulitermes Jlavus) and Formosan termites Coptotermes formosanus) [116] allows transfer, through several routes, to other members of the colony, leading to colony elimination [117]. 

Ohmura, W., Doi, S., Aoyama, M., Ohara, S. 2(XX). Antifeedant activity of flavonoids and related compounds against the subterranean termite Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki. Journal of Wood Science 46(2) 149-153. 

Haverty, M. I. (1979) Soldier production and maintenance of soldier proportions in laboratory experimental groups of Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki. Insectes Sociaux, 26, 69-84. 

Zhu, B.C.R., Henderson, G., Yu, Y, Laine, R.A. 2003. Toxicity and repellency of patchouli oil and patchouli alcohol against formosan subterranean termites coptotermes formosanus shiraki (Isoptera Rhinotermitidae). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 51(16) 4585-4588. 

Since this symposium was held in New Orleans, it was appropriate to describe research aimed at efficient control of the Formosan subterranean termite (Coptotermes formosanus). The Formosan subterranean termite is among the most devastating urban pests in the world wherever it has spread. Its management costs the U.S. alone hundreds of millions of dollars a year. 

In the middle of the 20th century, the synthetic development of DDT and other chlorinated hydrocarbons (C.H.), increased insecticidal activity well beyond that of most natural products. Problems arose with bioaccumulation of C.H. residues in the food chain, human fat tissue, mother s milk, as well as the development of insecticide resistance. It became obvious there were limitations to synthetic technology as well. The modification of a natural product, for example, from chrysanthemum flowers and their pyrethrum extracts (7) to pyrethroids such as allethrin, resmethrin, permethrin (2), and deltamethrin created a model in which insecticides are created from the skeleton of insecticidally active natural molecules. Thus, the avermectin, abamectin, ivermectin family of pesticides originated from compounds produced by the soil bacterium, Streptomyces avermitilis (5), and the commercially successful chloronicotinyl insecticides, though not derived from nicotine, are chemically related 4). Both pyrethroids and chloronicotinyls are currently used commercially as termiticides. We have previously provided a detailed review of natural products as pesticidal agents for control of the Formosan subterranean termites, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (5). 

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