Progress 10/01/08 to 09/30/09
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) The objectives of this study are to examine the inter-colony and interspecific dynamics of the Formosan Subterranean termite and the eastern subterranean termite populations in a defined area; with the emphasis on re-invasion by nearby established colony(s),or re- establishment of new colony(s) by alate pairs into vacated territory of colony(s) that have been eliminated by baits. Approach (from AD-416) Three urban forest test sites will be selected as field projects, 1. Armstrong Park, New Orleans, LA; 2. Jackson Square in the French Quarter area, New Orleans, LA; and 3. Golden Beach, FL, will be conducted to address the post-elimination population ecology for area- wide programs. Termite population densities will be monitored using above ground sticky traps to assess alate populations and in ground monitoring stations will be used to assess termite activity. Triple mark recapture methods will be used to estimate population size and foraging territory. DNA techniques will be used for specific colony identification. Living tree treatments will be performed and efficacy monitored through visual assessment, electronic monitoring and dissection of some trees. A zone within the test area will be treated using baiting technologies to selectively eliminate or reduce termite populations. Ecological succession of termite reinvasion into the vacated area will be determined with continued monitoring after elimination of selected colonies. Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations Progress concluded with the 2008 Annual Report, but was not terminated because of financial management reasons. See 2008 Annual Report for last reported progress.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
|
Progress 07/17/03 to 07/16/08
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) The objectives of this study are to examine the inter-colony and interspecific dynamics of the Formosan Subterranean termite and the eastern subterranean termite populations in a defined area; with the emphasis on re-invasion by nearby established colony(s),or re- establishment of new colony(s) by alate pairs into vacated territory of colony(s) that have been eliminated by baits. Approach (from AD-416) Three urban forest test sites will be selected as field projects, 1. Armstrong Park, New Orleans, LA; 2. Jackson Square in the French Quarter area, New Orleans, LA; and 3. Golden Beach, FL, will be conducted to address the post-elimination population ecology for area- wide programs. Termite population densities will be monitored using above ground sticky traps to assess alate populations and in ground monitoring stations will be used to assess termite activity. Triple mark recapture methods will be used to estimate population size and foraging territory. DNA techniques will be used for specific colony identification. Living tree treatments will be performed and efficacy monitored through visual assessment, electronic monitoring and dissection of some trees. A zone within the test area will be treated using baiting technologies to selectively eliminate or reduce termite populations. Ecological succession of termite reinvasion into the vacated area will be determined with continued monitoring after elimination of selected colonies. Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations Armstrong Park Project: The number of active monitoring stations immediately after the total elimination of all detectable FST (Formosan Subterranean Termite) colonies in 2004 increased slowly until 2006, and there was a rapid increase in 2006-07. This implied that population growth may take another 2-3 years to reach the plateau. Conclusions from this re-invasion study indicated that 1) re-population by alate pairs (winged formed termites) is a slower process than invasion by bordering ground colonies; 2)population management in highly populated areas may require multiple cycles of bait applications as more colonies re-invade from the borders of target areas; 3)it may be possible to eradicate an isolated population, and 4)for a large area (e.g. county or state-wide) project with no infestation outside of the target area, it may be more effective to start the project from the edge of the target area instead of, from the center, i.e., re-invasion occur only from 1 side. FST populations will be monitored until they reach the plateau, after which all detectable populations will be eliminated. Termite Biology Project: A new model was developed for estimating the size of closed populations of subterranean termites in a colony. As marked termites diffuse into the population and given sufficient time, the directionally averaged capture probability may reach equilibrium over the distance, and thus satisfy the equal mixing assumption of the mark-recapture protocol. In a laboratory test with extended foraging arena, equilibrium capture probability correctly projected population estimates that were not significantly different from the known number of FST workers in the arena. This model was applied to estimate the population boundary distance of a colony and how FST improve the traffic efficiency when traveling through their tunnel system. FST fill the corner of a bent tunnel with soil particles making a sharp corner, smoothly rounded. Our study showed that the corner- filling behavior could play an important role in improving the tunnel traffic efficiency. Our results showed that the deposited sand following tunnel excavation was less dense than the unexcavated sand, and we concluded that termites did not compact sand to create necessary tunnel space. We concluded that the space created by wood consumption could be transformed into tunnel space during soil displacement. A computer- simulated FST tunneling structure was developed, to explore a foraging strategy that optimizes food encounter rate, utilizing mathematical analyses derived from experimental data that determines movement of a discrete unit of excavation performed by a cadre of FST. The simulations revealed that the length ratio between primary and secondary tunnels produced a bimodal(activity that occurs twice within the same period) distribution of food encounter rates, and reflect tunnel geometries that subterranean termites may employ in excavating tunnel patterns that optimize the rate of encountering food sources. Progress in this project is monitored through Annual FST Technical Committee Meetings, reports, regular meetings with cooperators, routine phone calls, and e-mails.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
|
Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/07
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) The objectives of this study are to examine the inter-colony and interspecific dynamics of the Formosan Subterranean termite and the eastern subterranean termite populations in a defined area; with the emphasis on re-invasion by nearby established colony(s),or re- establishment of new colony(s) by alate pairs into vacated territory of colony(s) that have been eliminated by baits. Approach (from AD-416) Three urban forest test sites will be selected as field projects, 1. Armstrong Park, New Orleans, LA; 2. Jackson Square in the French Quarter area, New Orleans, LA; and 3. Golden Beach, FL, will be conducted to address the post-elimination population ecology for area- wide programs. Termite population densities will be monitored using above ground sticky traps to assess alate populations and in ground monitoring stations will be used to assess termite activity. Triple mark recapture methods will be used to estimate population size and foraging territory. DNA techniques will be used for specific colony identification. Living tree treatments will be performed and efficacy monitored through visual assessment, electronic monitoring and dissection of some trees. A zone within the test area will be treated using baiting technologies to selectively eliminate or reduce termite populations. Ecological succession of termite reinvasion into the vacated area will be determined with continued monitoring after elimination of selected colonies. Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations This report serves to document research conducted under Specific Cooperative Agreement between the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the University of Florida. Additional Details of research can be found in the report for the in-house project 6435-32000-011-00D, "Coordination of National Termite Management Program." The major objective of this project is to continue to monitor and examine the inter-colony relationships among Formosan Subterranean Termite (FST) with emphasis on re-invasion and re-establishments of FST colonies. During the 2006 - 2007 reporting year: Armstrong Park Project: Immediately following the total elimination of all detectable FST colonies in 2004, the number of colonies steadily increased to 5 colonies inside the Park by 2005, and to 7 colonies near the Park border in 2006, and these numbers have not changed in 2007. The number of active monitoring stations appears to be increasing, especially near the Park border, suggesting the FST-vacated Armstrong Park may be re-populated more rapidly by the neighboring colonies than the new alate-initiated colonies inside the Park. This accumulated data, will help to predict the timing and pattern of population recovery following the elimination. Jackson Square Project: The new FST population that was detected in 2006 near the southeastern border with the Mississippi River appears to originate from FST colony(s) in the planters across the street. The sporadic FST activity is probably due to the fact that colonies share territories outside of the Square and is affected by treatment being done there. It was decided that all detectable termite colonies in the Square will be baited and eliminated. Termite Biology Project: A population estimate model was developed to account for the unequal recapture probability of marked animals when their dissemination into the released population has yet to reach the equilibrium. Mark-recapture data previously collected for field colonies of the FST were applied to the new model and the results were compared with the Peterson and weighted mean models. In order to investigate the effect of food size, food distribution in soil and the branch length of termite tunnels on food encounter rate we used a lattice gas model to simulate FST tunnels. The model made simulate termite tunnel patterns in featureless soil. The food encounter rate was higher in a clumped than in non-clumped (uniform and random) distribution of food particles. When food particle size was varied in random distributions of food particles a maximum encounter rate was found, with particles of larger or smaller size being encountered less frequently. To explore how a heterogeneous landscape affects food encounter rate of FST, a lattice model was formulated to simulate the tunneling structure of the termite; the effect on the encounter rate was clear in the presence of higher food density than in lower density. Progress in this project is monitored through Annual FST Technical Committee Meeting, reports, regular meetings with cooperators, routine phone calls, and e-mail correspondences.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
|
Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/06
Outputs
Progress Report 4d Progress report. This report serves to document research conducted under Specific Cooperative Agreement between Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the University of Florida. Additional Details of research can be found in the report for the inhouse project 6435-32000-008-00D, Coordination of National Termite Management Program. During the 2005 - 2006 reporting year: Armstrong Park Project: Due to Hurricane Katrina, the project was interrupted between August 2005 and March 2006. The Hurricane, however, did not impact Formosan Subterranean Termite (C. formosanus) activities in Armstrong Park, despite the flooding (0 0.6 m for 1 5 days toward the French Quarter, and 0.6 0.9 m for 5 10 days at the deeper end away from French Quarter) at the Park. Four concealed colonies near the center of the Park and two colonies near the borders before Katrina remained active in 2006. In addition, three new invading Formosan Subterranean Termite (FST)
colonies and two (native termite) R. flavipes colonies were detected near the Park borders in 2006. The steady decline of FST alate catch continued. The total FST alates collected in 2005 in the Park declined to 1,000 from 1,800 in 2004. A mathematical model was constructed to simulate the spatial and temporal dynamics of FST colonies in the Park by tracing their chronological changes since 1999 when the project began. Jackson Square Project: As with Armstrong Park, Katrina did not affect FST colonies in Jackson Square. The major change was the disappearance of one FST colony on the east of the Square, which was probably eliminated by the commercial baiting carried out at the nearby building in 2005 prior to Katrina. The other two clusters of FST activity recorded in 2005, one near the north and the other near the southern portion of the Square, remained unchanged in 2006. The R. flavipes activities scattering throughout the Square also remained the same. The significant change
in 2006 was the new FST activities near the southeastern border with the Mississippi River. These appear to originate from FST colony(s) invading from the planters across the street. Current status of the Asian subterranean termite (Coptotermes gestroi) in Florida: Coptotermes gestroi is endemic to Southeast Asia, and was introduced to the West Indies and South America in the 1930s. Unlike Formosan Subterranean Termite (C. formosanus) that is a subtropical/temperate species, C. gestroi is a tropical species and was not expected to establish in the continental United States. In 1996, however, C. gestroi was collected in Miami, Florida, and in Key West in 1999. The separation between these two supposedly geographically isolated species was broken in 2001 when a C. gestroi alate were found in Broward County. Later in 2004, C. gestroi infestations were found in two structures in Broward. Several structure infestations of C. gestroi were confirmed in Riviera Beach, Palm Beach county in
2005 and 2006. The Riviera Beach infestations marked a substantial northward range expansion for this species in Florida and are the northernmost established colonies of this tropical species worldwide. Currently, south east (SE) Florida is the only known location in the world where the two species occur together. To identify the distribution of the invasive termite pests in SE Florida, an area-wide alate survey with sticky traps was initiated in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties in January 2006. The survey is still on- going and results will be available by fall 2006. A community-based IPM (Intergrated Pest Management) Project in SE Florida: The objectives of the IPM project is two-fold: 1) to reduce pesticide reliance, and 2) to reduce termite damage potential at the community level. A seminar series was offered to volunteer groups such as Broward NatureScape and extension services Mater Gardeners to promote cultural control, proper construction practices, early
detection, and adoption of new technologies that minimize pesticide use. Other audiences include the city of Hollywood and its community. A hands-on program was offered to 20 participants who used their own homes to practice the IPM for subterranean termites such as structure modification to reduce termite conducive conditions, inspection of critical areas for potential termite infestation, and routine detection using wood stake survey technique or electronic sensing devices. Termite Behavior Project: Factors dictating termite tunnel construction were investigated. Termite excavators remove parcels of soil from the site of tunnel extension and either carry them back to an area of vacant space or plaster the soil along the tunnel walls. The soil plastered along tunnel walls may then be picked up by other workers and moved closer to the tunnel origin in a series of indirect load transfers. The decision to either plaster or remove a plastered parcel is moderated by the relief of
tunnel wall profiles. The number of termites passing through a length of tunnel per unit time, and elevated queue times due to traffic congestion lead to an elevated rate of removal as irregularities in tunnel profile are subjected to more frequent or prolonged scrutiny. Queuing may also lead to a shift in the motivation to perform specific behaviors. Only a small fraction of excavated soil is plastered at the tunnel tip, the rest being distributed along the tunnels length or removed to its origin, so the rate of lateral excavation exceeds plastering by a rate of approximately 3 to 1, ensuring as expansion in width. The comparative rates of parcels of soil being plastered to those removed govern whether the tunnel width is narrowed, maintained, or expanded. Higher flux and queuing prompt lateral excavation and the removal of plastered soil parcels, causing the width of tunnels to scale to traffic flow.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
|
Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05
Outputs
4d Progress report. This report serves to document research conducted under Specific Cooperative Agreement between the University of Florida, and the Agricultural Research Service (ARS). Additional Details of research can be found in the report for the parent project 6435-32000-008-00D entitled, "Coordination of National Termite Management Program." A. Armstrong Park Project: Following the elimination of all detectable colonies of the Formosan subterranean termite (FST) in 2003, monitoring stations were left in the Park to detect activities of re-invading termite populations. These new termite activities were left untreated in order to determine how a large urban area, such as Armstrong Park, can be re-occupied by subterranean termite colonies. As of summer of 2005, 6 FST colonies and 3 R. flavipes (native termites) colonies were identified. Workers of the 4 FST colonies (F29, F31, F32, and F33) found in the interior of the Park were small (ca. 3 mg), which were
probably incipient colonies initiated by alates flown in the park after the elimination of the established colonies in 2003. Workers of one colony (F30) found near the southern perimeter of the Park weighed ca. 3.5 mg; and we speculate that F30 is an established colony invading from outside of the Park. Another colony (F29) found in an island near the center of the Park, however, also contains workers of medium size (ca. 3.79 mg), and we believe this island colony was probably too small to be detected before 2003, and was probably one of the concealed colonies as described in previous report. Thus far, the re-invasion took 2 modes as expected, one by alates (F29, F31, F32, and F33), and the other by neighboring populations (F30). Morphometric (Size of termites and number of antennal segments) data and DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) samples have been collected to confirm that the re-invading colonies are not the remnants of the old FST populations. Sticky trap catch of FST alates in
2004 declined to 1,837 from 2,487 in 2003. The final number for 2005 data are not complete, but it appears there was a further decline to ca. 1,000 levels, possibly a reflection of the overall decline of FST populations in nearby French Quarter due to the area-wide management program. B. Jackson Square Project: Monthly monitoring of 400 stations installed in the Square revealed a small FST colony (population estimate: 257,500 - 9,800) in the Eastern corner of the Park (Adjacent to the Lower Pontalba and Cafe Du Monde) in September 2004. DNA samples of FST were collected from within Jackson Square as well as from surrounding parks and buildings monitored by New Orleans Mosquito and Termite Control Board. Future characterization and analysis of the DNA data will give an understanding of the current status of subterranean termite populations within the Square. There was an overall decrease in alate activity in the Square from 7,165 alates in 2003 to 5,675 in 2004. Again this may
be the result of the overall FST population decline following the area-wide management program in French Quarter. C. Alate Dispersal Flight Study: Four exit tubes of swarming alates (winged termites) were located on trees and planters in Washington Artillery Park and the riverbank of Algiers Point. As alates exited these tubes during a swarm, they were dusted with fluorescent powder. These marked termites were then recaptured on some of the 445 sticky traps located on streetlights throughout the French Quarter. Twelve successful repetitions were carried out. The distance record was 900 m, flying from Algiers Point and recaptured across the Mississippi River in Jackson Square. This exceeded any prior distance record by approximately 370 m. Similar study will be repeated on a larger scale in 2005. D. Golden Beach Project: The effects of bait applications on the overall FST activity in a town of 1.2 km2 were assessed between 2001 and 2003 using a Bait Impact Index. The index
incorporated the amount of baits applied and the distance between bait application loci and the monitoring stations from which termite activity was measured. Even with the collaboration of only 35% of the residents and incomplete treatment records, the Bait Impact Index demonstrated that more baits applied in closer proximity to monitoring loci significantly caused the decline of FST activity. Alate catch between 2001 and 2004 also confirmed the decline of FST activity. The project was terminated following the demonstration of the effects of bait application on FST activity in a large area. E. Extended Foraging Arena Study: Distance effects of 3 treatments, noviflumuron, fipronil and thiamethoxam, (chemicals used on termites) against laboratory populations of FST were tested in extended foraging arenas with foraging distances of 50 m. The results showed that during the 10-wk test period, noviflumuron baits killed all termites, while the non-repellent termiticides, fipronil and
thiamethoxam, divided the laboratory populations into 2 groups after causing 2535% worker mortality. The horizontal transfer of lethal effects of fipronil was approximately 5 m. For thiamethoxam, the distance of transfer was substantially shorter. Due to their dose- dependent lethal time, the non-repellent termiticides did not fulfill the requirements of a liquid bait model.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
|
Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04
Outputs
4. What were the most significant accomplishments this past year? D. Progress Report: This report serves to document research conducted under Specific Cooperative Agreement between ARS and the University of Florida. Additional Details of research can be found in the report for the parent CRIS 6435-32000-008-00D, "Coordination of National Termite Management Program." A. Armstrong Park Project: Following the elimination of all 20 of the detected colonies of the Formosan subterranean termite (FST) between July 2002 and June 2003, several incidents of re-invasions by FST and by Reticulitermes flavipes (native termites) were recorded and the invading colonies were subsequently baited and eliminated. Thus far only 2 isolated FST colonies were found in the Park as of the spring 2004. Alate (winged termite) sticky traps were placed in and round the Park in the spring 2004, and the collection is still on going. The Park, previously occupied by approximately 20 FST
colonies, has been mostly termite-free since the fall 2003. Termite monitoring continues to record any re- emergence of termite activity in the Park. B. Jackson Square Project: FST activity in Jackson Square has been erratic. Attempts to delineate colonies have been unsuccessful due to the inconsistent FST activity. These may be due to the baiting being conducted in buildings near Jackson Square. During the flight season in 2004, dye powers were applied on the flight exit holes of a tree across the street from Jackson Square to track the flight paths and distance of alates. The results showed that FST alates (winged termites) swarmed up to 750 meters generally along the wind direction. The flight distance exceeded the only previous report of 550 meters for FST alates in Okinawa, Japan. C. Golden Beach Project: FST activity in the town of Golden Beach, Florida, has been monitored using underground monitoring stations. The wood consumption rates declined from 1-2 gram wood
consumed per day per station (g/d/stn) in the summer of 2001 to approximately 0.3-0.5 g/d/stn in 2003, and the alate catch also declined from approximately 300-420 total catch in 2001-2002 to approximately 20-100 in 2003-2004. Between 2001 and 2003, hexaflumuron (a termite toxin) baits were applied in several houses. A Bait Impact Index (BII) was derived to measure the potential impact on a monitoring station by any bait treatment applied at the study area. The assumption underlying the index was that, if the decline of termite activity observed in a monitoring station was caused by the bait application during the test period, then more baits applied in closer proximity would have greater impact. Using the data of 2001-2003, it was demonstrated that there was a significant correlation between Bait Impact Index and the decline of termite activity, indicating the change of overall termite activity was caused by the application of hexaflumuron (a termite toxin) baits. More bait
applied near a monitoring station significantly reduced the FST activity in the station. By the summer of 2003, only 3 monitoring stations were found to harbor termite activity, and those were generally further away from the sites of bait application. D. County-Wide Termite Survey: There have been at least 4 exotic termite pests being discovered in or near the Metro-Miami-Dade county. Information on the presence of these introduced termite pests were provided by Pest Management Professionals or homeowners who accidentally discovered the termites. The objective of this project is to conduct a systematic survey of these termite pests in the entire county. All these termite species are night swarmers and attracted to light. Arrangements were made with the Miami-Dade County Mosquito Board to examine their light trap collection in May-August. In addition, we contacted Miami-Dade County Park and Recreation Department for potential sites for placement of sticky traps under existing
lights. Solar or electric-powered light sticky traps may be used in places where the electricity or light sources are unavailable. Preparations are under way for trap placement in January 2005 for these new exotic termites.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
|
|