TOXICITY AND RETENTION OF DYE MARKERS TO HETEROTERMES INDICOLA
Keywords:
Termite, dyes, mortality, retentionAbstract
Different concentrations of Nile blue A, Sudan red 7B, Fuchsin acid and Eosin gelblish were testedas dye markers for H. indicola. Nile blue A 0.25% caused a negligible mortality (6%) and wasretained in more than 50% of the termites for 4 months. Sudan red 7B was also less toxic at lowersconcentrations (< 0.25%) but did not remain in the bodies of the termites for more than 2 weeks. At0.06% concentration, Fuchsin acid and Eosin gelblish caused 16 - 17% mortality. The mortality ratereduced at higher concentrations, probably due to avoidance of feeding by the termites. Fuchsin acidand Eosin gelblish did not remain in the termite for more than 2 - 3 days after the termites fed onthese dyes.
References
Abbott, W.S. (1925). A method for computingthe effectiveness of an insecticide. J.Econ. Entomol., 18:265-267.
Ahmad, M., M. Sheikh, K.H., and Jafri, R.H.(1980). Response of termite to differentlevels of moisture. Ann. Tech. Report,Project No. PK-FS 56, Grant No. FG-Pa-318:15-32.
Fujii, J.K. (1975). Effect of an Entomogenousnematode, Neoplectana carpocapsaeWeiser, on the Formosanus subterrneantermite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki,with ecological and Biological studies onC. formosanus, [Ph.D. thesis]. Univ. ofHawaii, Honolulu, USA.
Grace, J.K. and Abdallay, A. (1989). Evaluationof the dye marker Sudan red 7B withReticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera:Rhinotermitidae). Sociobiology, 15(1):71-77.
Lai, P.Y. (1977). Biology and ecology of Formosansubterranean termite, Coptotermesformosanus and its susceptibility to theentomogenous fungi, Beauveria bassianaand Metarrhizium anisopliae, [Ph.D.thesis]. Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu, USA,140p.
Lai, P.Y., Tamashiro, M., Fujii, J.K., Yats, J.R.,and Su, N.-Y. (1983). Sudan red 7B, adye marker for Coptotermes formosanus.Proc. Hawaiian Entomol. Soc., 24:277-282.
Salih, A.G.M. and Logan, J.W.M. (1990). Histologicaldyes for marking Microtermeslepidus (Isoptera: Macrotermitinae).Sociobiology, 16:247-250.
SAS Institute. (1990). SAS/STAT Guide forPersonal Computer, version 6.04. SASInstitue, Cary, N.C.:1005
Salihah, Z., Khatoon, R., Khan, A.U., Zeb, A.,and Sattar, A. (1993). A termite trap, NIFATERMAP,for capturing large number offield population of Heterotermes indicola.Proc. Pakistan Cong. Zool., 13:395-400.
Su, N.-Y. and Scheffrahn, R.H. (1988). Foragingpopulation and territory of the Formosansubterranean termite (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)in an urban environment. Sociobiology,14:353-359.
Su, N.-Y., Scheffrahn, R.H., and Ban, P.M.(1988). Retention time and toxicity of a dyemarker, Sudan Red 7B on Formosan andeastern subterranean termites (Isoptera:Rhinotermitidae). J. Entomol. Sci., 23:235-239.
Su, N.-Y., La Fage J.P., and Esenther, G.R.(1983). Effects of a dye, Sudan red 7B,on the Formosan subterranean termite,Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki(Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). Material andOrganismen, 18:127-133.
Su, N.-Y., Ban, P.M., and Scheffrahn, R.H. (1991).Suppression of foraging populations ofthe Formosan subterranean termite(Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) by fieldapplications of a slow-acting toxicantbait. J. Econ. Entomol., 84:1,525-1,531.
