Microcerotermes diversus Silvestri (Isoptera: Termitidae), an important pest in Ahwaz (Khouzestan, Iran), causes serious economic damage to wooden products in buildings. In this study, we determined the foraging populations and territories of this species using mark—release—recapture techniques. Based on both the weighted mean model and Lincoln index methods, mean termite foraging population estimates for two colonies, A and B, were 2,984,489 ± 258,802 and 326,134 ± 8,713, respectively. Estimates with the Lincoln index were 2,731,229 ± 813,081 for colony A and 321,493 ± 138,499 for colony B. Estimated horizontal foraging territories for colonies A and B were 25.59 and 44.16 m2, respectively. The maximum and minimum linear foraging distances were 5.40 and 2.14 m for colony A and 9.14 and 1.86 m for colony B, respectively. Our data expand the knowledge about the biology, ecology and behavior of M. diversus.
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1 December 2010
Foraging Population and Territory Estimates for Microcerotermes diversus (Isoptera: Termitidae) Through Mark—Release—Recapture in Ahwaz (Khouzestan, Iran)
B. Habibpour,
M. Ekhtelat,
F. Khocheili,
M. S. Mossadegh
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Journal of Economic Entomology
Vol. 103 • No. 6
December 2010
Vol. 103 • No. 6
December 2010
foraging territory
Lincoln index
mark—release—recapture
Microcerotermes diversus
weighted mean model