TY - JOUR
T1 - Ability of Field Populations of Coptotermes spp., Reticulitermes flavipes, and Mastotermes darwiniensis (Isoptera Rhinotermitidae; Mastotermitidae) to Damage Plastic Cable Sheathings
AU - Lenz, Michael
AU - Kard, Brad
AU - Creffield, James W.
AU - Evans, Theodore A.
AU - Brown, Kenneth S.
AU - Freytag, Edward D.
AU - Zhong, Jun-Hong
AU - Lee, Chow-Yang
AU - Yeoh, Boon-Hoi
AU - Yoshimura, Tsuyoshi
AU - Tsunoda, Kunio
AU - Vongkaluang, Charunee
AU - Sornnuwat, Yupaporn
AU - Roland, Ted A.
AU - de Santi, Marie Pommier
PY - 2013/6
Y1 - 2013/6
N2 - A comparative field study was conducted to evaluate the ability of subterranean termites to damage a set of four different plastic materials (cable sheathings) exposed below- and above-ground. Eight pest species from six countries were included, viz., Coptotermes formosanus (Shiraki) in China, Japan, and the United States; Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann) in Thailand and Malaysia; Coptotermes curvignathus (Holmgren) and Coptotermes kalshoveni (Kemner) in Malaysia; Coptotermes acinaciformis (Froggatt) with two forms of the species complex and Mastotermes darwiniensis (Froggatt) in Australia; and Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) in the United States. Termite species were separated into four tiers relative to decreasing ability to damage plastics. The first tier, most damaging, included C. acinaciformis, mound-building form, and M. darwiniensis, both from tropical Australia. The second tier included C. acinaciformis, tree-nesting form, from temperate Australia and C. kalshoveni from Southeast Asia. The third tier included C. curvignathus and C. gestroi from Southeast Asia and C. formosanus from China, Japan, and the United States, whereas the fourth tier included only R. flavipes, which caused no damage. A consequence of these results is that plastics considered resistant to termite damage in some locations will not be so in others because of differences in the termite fauna, for example, resistant plastics from the United States and Japan will require further testing in Southeast Asia and Australia. However, plastics considered resistant in Australia will be resistant in all other locations.
AB - A comparative field study was conducted to evaluate the ability of subterranean termites to damage a set of four different plastic materials (cable sheathings) exposed below- and above-ground. Eight pest species from six countries were included, viz., Coptotermes formosanus (Shiraki) in China, Japan, and the United States; Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann) in Thailand and Malaysia; Coptotermes curvignathus (Holmgren) and Coptotermes kalshoveni (Kemner) in Malaysia; Coptotermes acinaciformis (Froggatt) with two forms of the species complex and Mastotermes darwiniensis (Froggatt) in Australia; and Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) in the United States. Termite species were separated into four tiers relative to decreasing ability to damage plastics. The first tier, most damaging, included C. acinaciformis, mound-building form, and M. darwiniensis, both from tropical Australia. The second tier included C. acinaciformis, tree-nesting form, from temperate Australia and C. kalshoveni from Southeast Asia. The third tier included C. curvignathus and C. gestroi from Southeast Asia and C. formosanus from China, Japan, and the United States, whereas the fourth tier included only R. flavipes, which caused no damage. A consequence of these results is that plastics considered resistant to termite damage in some locations will not be so in others because of differences in the termite fauna, for example, resistant plastics from the United States and Japan will require further testing in Southeast Asia and Australia. However, plastics considered resistant in Australia will be resistant in all other locations.
KW - subterranean termites
KW - Coptotermes
KW - plastic cable sheathings
KW - nylon 12
KW - polyethylene
KW - RESISTANCE
KW - AUSTRALIA
KW - ACINACIFORMIS
KW - COVERINGS
KW - ATTACK
U2 - 10.1603/EC12514
DO - 10.1603/EC12514
M3 - Article
SN - 0022-0493
VL - 106
SP - 1395
EP - 1403
JO - Journal of Economic Entomology
JF - Journal of Economic Entomology
IS - 3
ER -