Small arenas were constructed to test the distance at which the repellency of dead subterranean termite nestmates, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar), could affect termite feeding on wooden blocks. The study used groups of 20 dead nestmates placed 1 cm distant from the wood blocks (5, placed in a series) in the treatment, and no dead nestmates in the controls. Data for each of 3 colonies were combined for analysis. The interaction of treatment x distance was a significant fixed effect. On average, in control arenas termite feeding decreased with distance, whereas in treatment arenas termite feeding increased with distance. These results indicate that whereas there is some feeding repellency associated with dead nestmates, this repellency has a short distance of influence.
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1 July 2014
Distance of the Repellency of Dead Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) Nestmates
T.G. Shelton
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Journal of Entomological Science
Vol. 49 • No. 3
July 2014
Vol. 49 • No. 3
July 2014
feeding
necrophobia
repellency
termite behavior