Termites subterranean

Roomi, M.W., A.H. Shah, M. Anwarullah, and M. Hussain. 1990. Studies on the control of subterranean termites by inorganic pesticides. Anz. Schadling. Pflanz. Umwelt. 63 50-52. 

This selective toxicity of the larvae s weapon suggests practical applications. Western subterranean termites are economically significant pests, considered to be the most destructive of all California termites. A pesticide directed specifically against them and harmless to other creatures would be environmentally friendly and extremely useful. Exterminators could rid a house of termites without endangering the residents or destroying beneficial insects. The chemical nature of this toxin is still unknown. We can only wonder what substance can rapidly paralyze one kind of termite and leave other insects unscathed. 

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]. 

The resistance of propylene and butylene epoxide modified wood to subterranean termites was studied (Rowell etal., 1979). A threshold of 34 % WPG was found to give good protection. Giant ipil ipil (Leucaena leucocephala) was modified with acetic anhydride, maleic anhydride - glycerol or propylene oxide (Mallari etal., 1988, 1990). All modified samples showed good decay resistance to C. versicolor and Tyromyces palustris. 

Imamura, Y. and Nishimoto, K. (1986). Resistance of acetylated wood to attack by subterranean termites. Wood Research Kyoto, 72, 37 4. 

Rowell, R.M., Hart, S.V. and Esenther, G.R. (1979). Resistance of alkylene-oxide-modified southern pine to attack by subterranean termites. Wood Science, 11(4), 271-274. 

Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), all uses of heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide were canceled in 1978, except for use in subsurface control of subterranean termites and for dipping of roots and tops of nonfood plants (ERA 1985c FDA 1989c). 

Particleboards and flakeboards made from acetylated flakes have been tested for resistance to several different t5 pes of organisms. In a 4-week termite test using Reticulitermes flavipes (subterranean termites), boards acetylated at 16 to 17 WPG were very resistant to attack, but not completely so (, 36,37) This may be attributed to the severity of the test. However, since termites can live on acetic acid and decompose cellulose to mainly acetic acid, perhaps it is not surprising that acetylated wood is not completely resistant to termite attack. 

All laboratory tests for biological resistance conducted to this point show that acetylation is an effective means of reducing or eliminating attack by soft-, white-, and brown-rot fungi, tunneling bacteria, and subterranean termites. Tests are presently underway on several lignocellulosic composites in outdoor environments. 

Meepagala K, Osbrink W, Sturtz G, Lax A, Plant-derived natural products exhibiting activity against Formosan subterranean termites Coptotermes for-mosanus), Pest ManagSci 62 565-570, 2006. 

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. 

Reinhard J. and Kaib M. (2001) Trail communication during foraging and recruitment in the subterranean termite Reticulitermes santonensis De Feytaud (Isoptera Rhinotermitidae). J. Insect Behav. 14, 157-171. 

Howard, R.W., McDaniel, C.A. and Blomquist, G.J. (1978). Cuticular hydrocarbons of the eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar)... 

Austin, J. W., Bagneres, A.-G., Szalanski, A.L., Scheffrahn, R.H., Heintschel, B.P, Messenger, M.T., Clement, J.-L. and Gold, R.E. (2007). Reticulitermes malletei (Isoptera Rhinotermitidae) a valid Nearctic subterranean termite from Eastern North America. Zootaxa, 1554, 1-26. 

Copren, K.A., Nelson, L.J., Vargo, E.L. and Haverty, M.I. (2005). Phylogenetic analyses of mtDNA sequences corroborate taxonomic designations based on cuticular hydrocarbons in subterranean termites. Mol. Phyl. Evol., 35, 689-700. 

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 ...

---