Potential of Water Extracts from Reticulitermes Flavipes on Control of Solenopsis Gayi

Abstract

Five nests each of Reticulitermes flavipes Kollar (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) and Solenopsis gayi Spinola (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) were collected in sites distanced at least 1 km in the Metropolitan Region, Santiago, Chile, to study the modification of hermeticism conducts of termites exposed to ant specimens on transparent plastic arenas lined with filter paper sprayed or bathed with a water extract of the termite, obtained by setting 20 of them on test tubes that were frozen, added acetone, and stirred in a vortex mixer. Finally the termites were eliminated and the acetone evaporated with gaseous nitrogen. Then, the extracts were dissolved in H2O. A control group was used per nest. The behavior of S. gayi receiving R. flavipes treated or untreated was observed during 6 min, registering antennal exploration (AE), mandible opening (MO), biting (BI), abdomen flexed dorsally or ventrally (AFD and AFV, respectively), fighting (FI), backward movement (BM), transport of intruder (TI), and death (DE). The behavior of R. flavipes receiving treated or untreated termites was also observed during 6 min, registering the approach to the intruder and brief pursuit by one or more termites (API), mandible opening (MO), and biting (BI). The transference of ants treated to their original nests increased the frequency of recognition events (AE and MO), as well as BI, which occurred earlier, compared with control groups. In contrast, when treated ants were transferred to receiving termites, a decreased frequency and a delayed appearance occurred in API and MO. Intruder death (DE) did not occur in both transference bioassays. In summary, S. gayi treated were recognized as intruders and rejected by the ants of their nests. In contrast, the recipient R. flavipes termites recognized the extract-treated ants as members of their nests.