Termite foraging behaviour and biological response against sintered glass screening as a potential graded physical barrier

B M Ahmed (Shiday); John R J French

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Termite foraging behaviour and biological response against sintered glass screening as a potential graded physical barrier

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Termite foraging behaviour and biological response against sintered glass screening as a potential graded physical barrier

B M Ahmed (Shiday) and John R J French

African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, Vol.5(4), pp.327-336

2011

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Abstract

Zoology

sintered glass screenings

termite graded particle barrier

Coptotermes acinaciformis

Coptotermes lacteus

Mastotermes darwiniensis

laboratory bioassay

field evaluation

The performance of subterranean termite Coptotermes acinaciformis (Froggatt); Coptotermes lacteus (Froggatt) and Mastotermes darwiniensis Froggatt foraging behaviour and biological response on sintered glass screenings as a potential graded physical barrier in laboratory and field test proved as a viable option.There was a marked difference between C. acinaciformis and M. darwiniensis foraging behaviour and biological ability to move and tunnel through the sintered glass substrate in the laboratory bioassays. After eight weeks of laboratory bioassay, the results indicated that C. acinaciformis was not able to tunnel through 75 mm (tapped) 80 mm (untapped) of this substrate within the range of 1.7 to 2.4 mm, whereas M. darwiniensis tunnelled through the same depth of substrate within less than 48 h. The laboratory and field results suggest that termite foraging behaviour and biological responses to sintered glass within the range of 1.7 to 2.4 mm was not able to carry the particles or to travel within the void of the particles of the physical barrier system. The graded sintered glass particles may be considered as a possible tool for termite management option against Coptotermes species in Australia, particularly against the most economically important subterranean termite.

Details

Title: Termite foraging behaviour and biological response against sintered glass screening as a potential graded physical barrier
Authors: B M Ahmed (Shiday) (Author) - University of Melbourne
John R J French (Author) - Ecospan Consulting Services Pty Ltd
Publication details: African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, Vol.5(4), pp.327-336
Publisher: Academic Journals
Date published: 2011
ISSN: 1996-0786
Copyright note: Copyright © 2011 Academic Journals. Reproduced here in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Organisation Unit: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99449710402621
Output Type: Journal article

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