Abstract
Baiting is one of the main methods to control subterranean termites. Many previous studies showed that subterranean termites avoid making tunnels within dry soil and feeding on dry wood, which may decrease bait infestation and consumption in drought areas. Super absorbent polymers are a group of materials that can retain large amounts of water and improve the moisture content of soil and bait matrices, and therefore may attract termites. In the present study, choice tests were conducted in the laboratory to investigate the aggregation and feeding behaviors of Formosan subterranean termites, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, in response to the three super absorbent polymers—sodium polyacrylate (Na-PAM), potassium polyacrylate (K-PAM), and poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) potassium salt (P(AM/AA))—that were either placed within soil or filled in the void volume of baiting containers. Under dry-soil (30%-moisture) conditions, termites consumed significantly more wood in the chambers where super absorbent polymers were buried than in the control chambers (super absorbent polymer was not placed within soil). In addition, Na-PAM placed within dry soil significantly increased termite aggregation compared with the control chambers. However, no aggregation or feeding preference was detected when super absorbent polymers were placed within wet soil (60%-moisture). Also, filling super absorbent polymers into the void volume of baiting containers did not attract termites, whether the soil was dry or wet. Our study showed that placing super absorbent polymers within soil around bait stations may increase bait consumption by subterranean termites in drought locations.
Highlights
The Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, is an economically important pest with a wide distribution in subtropical and temperate areas [1,2]
In our study the presence of super absorbent polymers significantly increased the moisture of wood blocks in baiting containers (Figures 3–5), probably because super absorbent polymers created a micro-environment with high humidity so that wood can absorb more moisture
This study showed that placing super absorbent polymers within dry soil can significantly increase wood consumption by termites, probably because super absorbent polymers improve the moisture of soil and wood and facilitate the tunneling and feeding behaviors of termites
Summary
The Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, is an economically important pest with a wide distribution in subtropical and temperate areas [1,2]. This pest attacks buildings and wooden structures in urban areas, and caused huge economic losses worldwide [3]. Estimated that the annual repair and control cost for C. formosanus was >1 billion dollars (USD) in. In China, the economic losses caused by C. formosanus was ~0.1 billion dollars each year [5]. Unlike many other subterranean termites, C. formosanus can attack live trees.
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