Elimination of Coptotermes lacteus (Froggatt) (Blattodea: Rhinotemitidae) Colonies Using Bistrifluron Bait Applied through In-Ground Bait Stations Surrounding Mounds.

Garry Webb

doi:10.3390/insects8030098

Abstract

The efficacy of bistrifluron termite bait was evaluated using in-ground bait stations placed around Coptotermes lacteus mounds in south-eastern Australia during late summer and autumn (late February to late May 2012). Four in-ground bait stations containing timber billets were placed around each of twenty mounds. Once sufficient numbers of in-ground stations were infested by termites, mounds were assigned to one of four groups (one, two, three or four 120 g bait canisters or 120 to 480 g bait in total per mound) and bait canisters installed. One mound, nominally assigned treatment with two canisters ultimately had no termite interception in any of the four in-ground stations and not treated. Eighteen of the remaining 19 colonies were eliminated by 12 weeks after bait placement, irrespective of bait quantity removed (range 43 to 480 g). Measures of colony decline—mound repair capability and internal core temperature—did not accurately reflect the colony decline, as untreated colonies showed a similar pattern of decline in both repair capability and internal mound core temperature. However, during the ensuing spring–summer period, capacity to repair the mound was restored in untreated colonies and the internal core temperature profile was similar to the previous spring–summer period which indicated that these untreated colonies remained healthy.

Highlights

Baiting is promoted as an environmentally sustainable termite management practice because it directly targets the colony and has minimal, if any, impact on non-target organisms [1,2]
During the ensuing spring–summer period, capacity to repair the mound was restored in untreated colonies and the internal core temperature profile was similar to the previous spring–summer period which indicated that these untreated colonies remained healthy
Modern baiting systems rely on the use of insect growth regulators, chitin synthesis inhibitors (CSIs) or benzoylphenyl urea compounds such as chlorfluazuron, hexaflumuron, novaflumuron and bistrifluron [3,5,6,7]

Summary

Introduction

Baiting is promoted as an environmentally sustainable termite management practice because it directly targets the colony and has minimal, if any, impact on non-target organisms [1,2]. Modern baiting systems rely on the use of insect growth regulators, chitin synthesis inhibitors (CSIs) or benzoylphenyl urea compounds such as chlorfluazuron, hexaflumuron, novaflumuron and bistrifluron [3,5,6,7]. These active ingredients impact the chitin synthesis processes involved in moulting and other essential functions in termites. In southeastern Australia, Coptotermes lacteus (Froggatt) builds mounds and is more geographically accessible which make it a useful model for testing treatment options for more destructive species such as C. acinaciformis

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion