Termite Coptotermes formosan

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. 

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

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]. 

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]. 

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). 

The Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, is a major urban pest that is found in several areas around the world. They were brought to the continental United States from China shortly after WWII and have since spread to several southern states with the highest concentration centered around New Orleans, Louisiana. 

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]. 

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