Moisture is an important physical factor for the survival of termites. The effects of different moisture levels (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25%) of a sand substrate on the behavior of laboratory groups of Microcerotermes crassus Snyder and Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann) (Blattodea: Termitidae: Rhinotermitidae) were evaluated. Moisture content of sand affected wood consumption and influenced termite distribution across a moisture gradient for M. crassus. Changing the moisture parameters affected the location preference of C. gestroi, but the effect on wood consumption was not significant. Nonetheless, M. crassus and C. gestroi showed a similar distribution pattern of association with particular moisture levels.
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1 April 2010
Influence of Different Substrate Moistures on Wood Consumption and Movement Patterns of Microcerotermes crassus and Coptotermes gestroi (Blattodea: Termitidae, Rhinotermitidae)
Nellie Wong,
Chow-Yang Lee
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Journal of Economic Entomology
Vol. 103 • No. 2
April 2010
Vol. 103 • No. 2
April 2010
Coptotermes gestroi
Microcerotermes crassus
moisture
tunneling activity
wood consumption