N. Spomer, S. Kamble
2005
Citations
0
Influential Citations
9
Citations
Journal
Sociobiology
Abstract
The effect of temperature on noviflumuron (0.5%, Active Ingredient [AI]) bait consumption and resulting mortality of the Eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitennes flavipes (Kollar) were determined. Mortality resulting from the transfer of noviflumuron from treated to untreated R. flavipes was also examined. No-choice feeding stations contained washed sand, a bait tube with either an untreated bait matrix or a 0.5% noviflumuron bait matrix, and 100 R. flavipes workers. Experiments were conducted at 15°, 19°, 23°, and 27°C and at monitoring intervals of 2, 4, 6, and 8 wk. At each monitoring interval, feeding stations were destructively sampled. Data indicated that R. flavipes had no feeding deterrence to 0.5% noviflumuron bait matrix at the 2 and 4 wk sampling intervals. Termite mortality was lower at 15°C compared to temperatures ≥ 19°C at 6 wk. Temperatures lower than 19°C resulted in significantly lower termite mortality rates within the same sampling intervals. Transfer of 0.5% noviflumuron from treated to untreated termites and resulting mortality was determined using a bioassay technique. Feeding stations were held at 25°C. One group of termites (Blue="B") was allowed to feed on 0.5% noviflumuron treated bait matrix stained with 0.05% Nile-Blue A for 3 days. A second group of termites (White="W") was starved for 24 hr. Treated and untreated termites were combined at ratios of 1B:1W, 1B:10W, 1B:20W. Destructive sampling occurred at 4 and 8 wk intervals. According to data a 5% foraging population of R. flavipes feeding on 0.5% noviflumuron bait matrix has the potential to cause a substantial population impact.