Joe K. Mauldin

Differential Use of Identical Food Resources by Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) in Two Types of Habitats

ABSTRACT A year-long field experiment showed that Reticulitermes flavipes attacked and used single stakes and wooden stake bundles differently in two habitats that varied in alternative forage. In both habitats, the number of termites present in single stakes and stake-bundles increased with stake resource size, and the number of larvae recorded from feeding sites was a close reflection of the number of workers attracted to a given food source. Over 12 mo, more single stakes and stake bundles were heavily attacked and abandoned in the pine woods compared with grassy clearings. Paradoxically, the number of termites present in single stakes and stake bundles was greater in the food-poor habitat (grassy clearings), yet the wood was less consumed compared with the food-rich habitat (pine woods). Use of stake bundles as nests and the slower rate of wood consumption in grassy clearings indicated that termites seemed to value food resources in relative terms, i.e., those termites with abundant alternative food resources consumed quickly and departed, whereas those lacking extra resources ate slowly and settled in. These field results confirm earlier laboratory results that showed that termites modified wood consumption rates dependent on the amount of food available to the colony as a whole. The appearance of mature (physogastric) reproductives (»1 yr old) in stake bundles in both habitats further indicated that termites track resources and opportunistically shift colony activities and possibly territory boundaries depending on the nature of the resources and other environmental factors. Implications for managing termites with a baiting strategy are discussed.

Lipid synthesis from [14C]-acetate by two subterranean termites, Reticulitermes flavipes and Coptotermes formosanus

Abstract Eleven to eighteen days after removing either one protozoan, Trichonympha agilis , or all protozoa except T. agilis from worker termites of Reticulitermes flavipes these termites were able to incorporate similar amounts of radioactivity from sodium [1,2- 14 C]-acetate into lipids as were normally faunated termites. However, the 14 C incorporated into lipids by the abnormally faunated termites was not distributed among lipid components in the same way as in the normally faunated termites. Triglycerides, the predominant lipid class ( Mauldin , 1977; Mauldin et al. , 1978), extracted from abnormally faunated termites had lower levels of 14 C incorporated into them than triglycerides from normally faunated termites. Also, the abundance of oleic acid, the predominant fatty acid in normally faunated termites, was lower in lipids extracted from termites eighteen days after removing some or all protozoa than in lipids extracted from normally faunated termites. Therefore, the quantity of some lipids synthesized, as judged by the incorporation of radioactivity from [ 14 C]-acetate into lipid carbon, was lower in R. flavipes termites lacking certain symbiotic protozoan species than in normally faunated termites. Using the same criteria phospholipids were synthesized equally well by normally faunated R. flavipes and those termites lacking some or all normal protozoa. Coptotermes formosanus worker termites lacking either the protozoan Pseudotrichonympha grassii , all symbiotic protozoa, or all bacteria, were able to incorporate radioactivity from [1,2- 14 C]-acetate into lipids. After eighteen days, the amount of 14 C incorporated into various lipids extracted from termites lacking some or all protozoa was generally lower than that from lipids extracted from normally faunated termites. Therefore, as judged by incorporation of 14 C from acetate into lipids, C. formosanus termites lacking either hindgut bacteria or one or all symbiotic protozoan species did not synthesize lipids from acetate to the same extent as did normal termites. Evidently hindgut bacteria and symbiotic protozoa not only function to break cellulose down to acetate but also affect in some way the conversion of acetate into most lipids.

Amino acid synthesis from 14C-acetate by normally and abnormally faunated termites, Coptotermes formosanus

Abstract Eighteen days after treatment, the quantity of free amino acids was below normal in Coptotermes formosanus worker termites lacking all gut protozoa and in those treated with streptomycin to initially eliminate gut bacteria. The content of protein bound amino acids remained nearly the same in all groups throughout the experiment. After 18 days, the specific activity of free amino acids was normal in termites lacking only Pseudotri-chonympha grassii and in completely defaunated termites, and below normal in termites with gut bacteria initially eliminated by either streptomycin or penicillin-streptomycin. The specific activity of protein bound amino acids was below normal in the completely defaunated termites, the streptomycin treated termites, and the penicillin-streptomycin treated termites. Evidently, normal amino acid synthesis can occur with P. grassii absent and Holomastigotoides hartmanni, Spirotrichonympha leidyi , and normal gut bacteria present.

Cellulose catabolism and lipid synthesis by normally and abnormally faunated termites, Reticulitermes flavipes

Abstract Normally faunated termites, Reticulitermes flavipes, readily converted 14C from labeled cellulose into lipids, but any alteration of the protozoa complement markedly diminished this conversion. Triglycerides, the predominant lipid class, and oleic acid, the predominant fatty acid, were depleted in abnormally faunated termites, which suggests that oleic acid stored in triglycerides is a major energy source during stress. The ability to convert 14C from labeled cellulose into lipids did increase somewhat in abnormally faunated termites 18 days after defaunation, perhaps because remaining protozoa species or bacteria partially compensate for missing protozoa.

Protein-bound amino acid content of normally and abnormally faunated Formosan termites, Coptotermes formosanus

Abstract In Coptotermes formosanus workers containing all (normally faunated), none (completely defaunated), or all but one species (partially defaunated) of their symbiotic protozoa, protein-bound amino acid contents changed little in 1, 3, 5, or 8 weeks after defaunation. There were few differences in the amino acid contents of the three termite groups at any one time. Thus, the termites may be able to maintain their protein levels without protozoa, dead protozoa probably do not furnish needed nitrogen, and symbiotic protozoa gave no evidence of the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen.

Integrated Protection Against Lyctid Beetle Infestations Part II. - Laboratory Dip-Diffusion Treatment of Unseasoned Banak ( Virola spp.) Lumber with Boron Compounds

A manufacturer of conventional moulding wanted a method that would prevent lyctid beetle damage to banak (Virola spp.) wood throughout the period from initial cutting in Brazil until final mouldings were in use. Because complete penetration of wood may be obtained, unseasoned banak wood was treated by dip-diffusion with disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (Na,BsO,,*4H,O as TIM-BOR@)l or boric acid (H,BO,) to determine the dip time, solution temperature, and diffusion storage period that would provide optimum treatment of wood. Visual observations also were made of inhibition of mold growth during diffusion storage as a result of using < 3.0 percent concentrations of sodium pentachlorophenate (NaPCP) with TIM-BOR@ and copper-8-quinolinolate (as P&57@) with treating solutions of boric acid.

A Vacuum-Aspirator for Counting Termites

Termites can be reliably counted In a relatively short time using an aspirator in which the suction is created by a small electric vacuum cleaner (Sears@ SPV,B 110 volt). To minimize noise levels, the vacuum cleaner is placed outside the building and connected to the working area via rigid PVC pipe (2.5 cm inner diameter). The end of a tee connector is left open to reduce the vacuum to an acceptable level. The vacuum can be further minimized by drilling small holes in the PVC pipe. Caution should be taken to reduce the vacuum to a level so as not to injure termites. A section of PVC pipe is positioned along the back of a work table to form a manifold into which several aspirators can be inserted and used at the same time (fig. 1). One section of a Nalgene@ quickFigure 1.Vacuum manifold with aspiratory for, counting subterranean termites.