1998 ESA North Central Branch Meeting Abstract
78 BAITING TECHNOLOGY FOR SUBTERRANEAN TERMITE CONTROL. J. W. Austin and S. T. Kamble, Department of Entomology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583
Since the introduction of chemical control agents registered for control of subterranean termites, the means of controlling unwanted infestations has historically been through point-of-entry applications and barrier treatments of soil injected insecticides (termiticides). The dependence on the efficacy of the termiticide, which due to normal environmental interaction degrades, has spawned interest in alternative control technologies. Termite bait development is not especially new in concept, it has been researched for years, but due to the increased awareness to environmental contamination of our soils by pesticides, there has been renewed interest in developing this technology. For this reason, the development of various baiting technologies have become a viable option for control of subterranean termite infestations in wooden structures. There are a few different active ingredients with different modes of delivery currently being reviewed for control of subterranean termites. Products like Sentricon®, Sentricon A.G.® (DowElanco) employ the use of an IGR, Hexaflumuron, a benzoylphenyl urea (BPU) derivative that inhibits chitin synthesis. Similarly, Firstline(TM) and Firstline GT(TM) (FMC), containing the stomach toxicant N-Ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamide (sulfluramid), have shown great promise as another potential choice for subterranean termite suppression. Other products have been developed with ambiguous results, but the development of this technology is certain to become more commonplace. Preliminary field data suggests that termites will actively feed on these materials long after toxic dosages have been consumed throughout the colony. Cessation of feeding has been observed in some instances, but manipulation of the bait stations has proven to be effective in prompting subterranean termites to resume feeding. In other studies, no cessation of feeding was ever recorded. To date, we are presently monitoring several populations in the Lincoln and Omaha areas, with promising results.
This paper will be presented on Monday.
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