TERMITES! Reticulitermes flavipes (eastern subterranean termite)

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TERMITES!Reticulitermes flavipes (eastern
subterranean termite)
http//www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/eastern_
subterranean_termi.htm
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Background Information
The Eastern subterranean termite is the most
widely distributed subterranean termite, and it
is the most common termite found in the eastern
United States and Canada. It is also an invasive
species in Europe.
Eastern Subterranean termites feed on cellulose
materials including structural wood, wood
fixtures, paper, books and cotton, and will
occasionally attack the roots of shrubs and
trees.
http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_subterranean_
termite
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Current U.S. distribution based on samples
received from survey participants
http//www.termitesurvey.com/distribution/reticuli
termes_flavipes.shtml
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LOCATIONS OF TERMITES IN TEXAS

• Alvin Amarillo Arlington Austin Bacliff
  Beaumont Benbrook Brownsville Burleson Cedar
  Hill Clute Colleyville Corpus Christi Crystal
  City Daingerfield Dallas Edna

Fort Worth Fredericksburg Galveston Garland
Gonzales Grand Prairie Houston Keller Kemp
Kerrville Kountze La Grange Lake JacksonLa
RueLeague City Lindale Live Oak Livingston
Lubbock Lufkin
Mabank Mason Mesquite Missouri City
Nederland Plano Port Neches Rockport San
Angelo San Antonio Schulenburg Seven
PointsSpring Sugar Land Temple Trinidad
Troup Vidor Waco The Woodlands
http//www.termitesurvey.com/distribution/reticuli
termes_flavipes.shtml
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Background Information

• A mature colony of Eastern Subterranean termites
  can range from a low of 20,000 workers to a high
  of five million, with an average of 300,000.
• The colony's queen can lay 5,000 to 10,000 eggs
  per year making colony growth slow.

http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_subterranean_
termite
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Background Information

• Foraging termites (looking for food) produce a
  variety of chemicals called pheromones that
  influence their behavior.
• These pheromones are basically odors that send
  messages to other termites in the colony.
• While tunneling underground, the foraging
  termites lay down a trail of pheromone which they
  secrete from glands on their abdomen.

• When a food source is located, the odor trail is
  intensified to recruit other termites to the
  feeding site.

http//www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/entomology/444-502/444-
502.htmlL4
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Observation

• Note These are LIVE animals and must be treated
  with care!!!
• Draw a line on one circle of paper with one of
  the pens.
• Do the same on the other circle of paper with the
  other pen.
• Put each piece of paper in a Petri dish.
• Come up to the front to get your termites from
  me. Bring your lid with you.
• Tape the lids to the bottom of each dish.
• Take the dish back to your desk and observe the
  behavior of the termites.

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Observation

• What did you observe?
• Can you make a hypothesis?
• What is your prediction?

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Experiment

• Treatment?
• Control?
• Repeat your observations with the new treatments

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Conclusions

• Data analysis
• What is your final conclusion about termites,
  pheromones and pens?

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http//www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/eastern_
subterranean_termi.htm