title: Elimination of field colonies of a mound-building termite Globitermes sulphureus (Isoptera: Termitidae) by bistrifluron bait.
abstract: The efficacy of Xterm, which contains 1% bistrifluron, in the form of cellulose bait pellets was evaluated for its efficacy in eradicating field colonies of the mound-building termite Globitermes sulphureus (Haviland) (Isoptera: Termitidae). The termite mounds were dissected at the end of the experiment to determine whether the colonies were eliminated. By approximately 2 mo postbaiting, the body of termite workers appeared marble white, and mites were present on the body. The soldier-worker ratio increased drastically in the colonies, and the wall surface of the mounds started to erode. Colony elimination required at least a 4-mo baiting period. Mound dissection revealed wet carton materials (food store) that were greatly consumed and overgrown by fast-growing fungi. Decaying cadavers were scattered all over the nests. On average, 84.1 +/- 16.4 g of bait matrix (68.9 +/- 13.4%, an equivalent of 841 +/- 164 mg of bistrifluron) was consumed in each colony. Moreover, we found that a mere 143 mg of bistrifluron was sufficient to eliminate a colony of C. sulphureus.
authors.affiliation: Urban Entomology Laboratory, Vector Control Research Unit, School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Kok-Boon
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Neoh
authors.forename: Nur Atiqah
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Jalaludin
authors.forename: Chow-Yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006846:Hydrocarbons, Halogenated; D007300:Insect Control; D020049:Isoptera; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds
chemical_list: D006846:Hydrocarbons, Halogenated; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; C508341:bistrifluron