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| Author(s): | Wu H.J., Wang Z.N., Ou C.F., Tsai R.S., Chow Y.S. |
| Year: | 1991 |
| Title: | Susceptibility of two Formosan termites to the entomogenous nematode Steinernema feltiae Filipjev |
| Citation: | Bulletin of the Institute of Zoology Academia Sinica. 30:(1) 31-39. . |
Abstract:
The effect of nematode, Steinernema feltiae Filipjev, on constrained Formosan termites, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki and Reticulitermes speratus (Kolbe) was studied. The relationship between the nematode and host termites is a case of parasitism. Nematode invasion is via the mouth of the hosts. All castes of the hosts were very susceptible to the nematode. But the host eggs were resistant to S. feltiae under conditions in the experiments. The susceptibility of the host termites to S. feltiae was evaluated under an imitative artificial nest environment. Hosts were exposed to six concentrations of S. feltiae ranging from 5,000 to 1,500,000 per nest. Mean nematode-associated host mortality 7 and 20 days after exposure was dose-related ranging from 4.8% at the lowest nematode dosage level to 97.9% at the highest dose. Although host termites could detect the nematodes and seek ways to avoid nematode attacks by extending their earthern tunnels to the outside of the nest, a considerable number of the termites had been parasitized before running away from the nematodes |
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