Subterranean termites activity

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. 

Kamble et al. (1992) studied the exposure of 29 commercial applicators exposed to Termide EC (technical chlordane 39.22% plus heptachlor 19.6%), diluted to 0.75% (active ingredient) during subterranean termite treatment of homes. Dermal exposure was monitored using 14 gauze pads for each applicator attached to exterior and interior parts of clothing for an average duration of 138 minutes. Exposure to hands was monitored by hand rinses immediately after application. 

W.S. Eng, E. Deaton, and D. Wichern Structure-Activity among Aromatic Analogs of the Trail Following Pheromone of Subterranean Termites. J. Chem. Ecol. 10, 1201-1217 (1984). 

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. 

Numerous plant species have been reported to be resistant to attack from subterranean termites. Many of these plants and extracts derived from them were tested for leads as potential natural product basexl pesticides. Forty plant and tree extracts reported to be active against termites displayed poor activity against the Formosan subterranean termite at rates < 0.5% wt/wt. Most naphthoquinones were active with a non-polar substitution in the 2-position. Anthroquinones generally had little termiticidal activity. None of the plant extracts or natural products tested were sufficiently active to be considered useful for control of the Formosan subterranean termite without structural modification. 

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). 

The purpose of this research was to determine whether various plants or woods and their extracts had an efrect on Formosan subterranean termites to warrant further evaluation for termite control applications. Based on activity of wood extracts, an extensive series of substituted quinones was evaluated to gain insight into the relationship of substitutions to termiticidal activity for synthesis of more active compounds. 

Diethyl ether extract of plant and nepeta-lactones have shown in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities. ° Vapors of nepetalactone have shown repellent activity in 13 families of insects. The essential oil and the two isomers of nepetalactone have shown insect repellent activity to subterranean termites (Reticulitermes spp) and to male German cockroaches Blattella germanica) ,Z-nepe-talactone showed greater repellent activity than DEBT (A,V-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide). ... 

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