Study of Trail-Following Behavior of Subterranean Termite, Heterotermes indicola (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) after Exposure to Various Concentrations of Insect Growth Regulators

Abstract

Trail following behaviour of subterranean termite, Heterotermes indicola (Wasmann) was studied after exposing them to two insect growth regulators, hexaflumuron and lufenuron. Termite workers were exposed to concentrations ranging from 100 to 10,000 ppm of both IGRs and then data were recorded on percent termite workers that reversed or left trail, time taken to complete the trail and speed with which termites travelled on trail. It wasrnobserved that both hexaflumuron and lufenuron did not significantly change the trail following behaviour of the exposed termites and may be used effectively in feeding bait for control of H. indicola.