Comparison of Tunneling Responses into Insecticide-Treated Soil by Field Populations and Laboratory Groups of Subterranean Termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

Abstract

Tunneling responses of laboratory groups and field populations of subterranean termites into soil treated with 1of the 3 insecticides, chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, or permethrin, were compared to validate laboratory evaluation techniques. Because of the diverse response exhibited by field populations, no statistical difference (P > 0.05) was detected between laboratory and field data for both the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, and the eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar).The results indicated that the overall tunneling behavior exhibited by field populations into insecticide- treated soil is essentially the same as that of laboratory groups of 80 foragers. But in some instances, the threshold concentrations (the lowest concentration to stop termite penetration totally) recorded from field populations were higher than those observed from laboratory groups.