Preference of Subterranean Termites among Community Timber Species in Bogor, Indonesia

Abstract

Many methods have been explored to increase the palatability of pine (Pinus merkusii), the most common wood used for termite baiting. However, because of the undersupply of pine in Indonesia, it is crucial to vary the wood species for termite baiting and look for potential alternatives. Furthermore, various studies have shown that baiting time influences the intensity and pattern of termite attacks. Therefore, the present research aimed to study the preferences of subterranean termites and find the ideal baiting time among community wood species from Bogor, West Java, as a baiting alternative to pine. The woods tested were Acacia mangium (acacia), Falcataria moluccana (sengon), Anthocephalus cadamba (jabon), Maesopsis eminii (manii), Swietenia mahagoni (mahogany), Hevea brasiliensis (rubberwood), and P. merkusii (pine). Field tests were carried out based on the American Society for Testing and Materials D 1758-06 at the Arboretum, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, IPB University, with a baiting time of one to six months. The results led to the identification of four species of termites, namely Microtermes sp., Macrotermes sp., Shedorhinotermes sp., and Capritermes sp.. The frequency of termite attacks on the test site reached 93.1%. Rubberwood was the most potential wood bait for subterranean termites, indicated by the highest average weight loss value (65.8%) with a shorter optimal baiting time (up to one month) than that of other tested woods.