What is orange oil ?
Orange oil products feature d-limonene, which is known as a high-functioning (but not too toxic) killer of termites. D−limonene is extracted from the rinds of oranges, and it’s the same chemical found in many household products. Due to d−limonene’s low toxicity, it has become increasingly popular and the preferred termite control method for many home owners and industries. Orange oil is also used in the manufacturing of resins, cleaning compounds, and as a fragrance additive in many products. Traditionally, orange oil has been used in aromatherapy and in the preparation of exotic perfumes. It is also used in the preparation of many traditional cuisines.
Orange oil is often described as an organic, green and biodegradable termite-control measure. Since it has negligible poisonous compounds associated with chemical pesticides, it doesn't create the problem of leaving toxic residues in the house.
Is orange oil effective ?
Dr. Rudolf H. Scheffrahn, an entomologist working at the University of Florida was commissioned to conduct an efficacy study to discover the true effectiveness of XT-2000 (Orange Oil Termiticide) He found that termites "treated with 92% d-limonene yielded mortalities ranging from 47-100% with a total mean mortality of 97.4%"
The effectiveness of orange oil as a termite-killer has certain limitations. An orange oil treatment for termites is localized spot application of each identified termite infestation and will only kill termites in the areas treated. Treatment with orange oil requires drilling into the infested wood members and injecting the product into the termite galleries. It is not ideally suited to handle, large-scale, invasive termite infestations. Yes, if the termite infestation is limited to a certain part of the house, it can be treated with orange oil. If the infestation has spread across a major portion of the house and it is deep-seated among the wooden structures, using orange oil may not be the best idea.
Unpublished research has determined that injecting d-limonene oil into termite galleries can kill dry wood termites. The problem with this method is, drill and injection is a random, localized treatment and not whole structure. The limitations would include the many "inaccessible areas" common in most structures and detection. The problems with localized chemical treatments are the detection and treatment of individual colonies. If colonies are not detected or inaccessible, they will not be killed by injecting chemicals.
Orange oil will kill termites on contact only effective for Drywood not for all termites . It has very little residual effect (< 24 hours). It can lose it's effectiveness over time and need reapplication. It also absorbs in all directions improving the chances of the needed connection. It emits volatile organic compounds which are bad to breathe and harmful to the environment.
Conclusion
Orange oil is not a new all encompassing magic solution to control pests, including termites. It has its own limitation. Because orange oil only works on the principle of contact killing it does not kill all termites on your property. With orange oil you won't get 100% assurance that all of the drywood termites in the home are eliminated.
Fumigation in Termites Extermination
Termite fumigation is quite effective in ridding eliminating home of termites. By using termite fumigation, the termites are exterminated through the use of a gas that is lethal to them. Typically, Vikane gas or sulfuryl fluoride, used during the fumigation process. Vikane has been commercialized by Dow Chemical Corporation is one of the most popular. Neither gases have an odor, a color, or leave a residue behind on objects in the home. In addition, chloropicrin, a form of tear gas, is also added to the termite fumigation chemicals as a warning to those entering the premises that fumigation is in process.
By hiring a licensed, professional fumigator or termites exterminator steps should be taken to ensure the safety of the occupants of the home. This includes using chloropicrin, the tear gas mentioned above, to warn anyone attempting to enter the home. In addition, the outer doors to the home will have an additional locking mechanism attached to them; thereby allowing only the fumigator the opportunity to enter the home. Lastly, the fumigator should have equipment to detect when the gases are gone and the home can be re-inhabited.
In preparation for termite fumigation, a few things below need to be done.
• Everything living, including people, pets, and plants, must be removed from the house.
• Any food, medicines, mattresses, box springs, and pillows should be removed or placed in a fume-bag that can be provided by the fumigator.
• Any plants near the exterior of the home should be trimmed so that the fumigators can maneuver near the walls and that area should be watered to prevent the fumigant from absorbing into the soil and killing the plants.
• External devices, such as antennas, satellite dishes, and weather vanes, should be taken off of the home
• Some fencing may need to be removed so that the tarps can completely cover the home.
The termite fumigation period will last from 24 to 48 hours. When the appropriate time period has passed, the fumigator will aerate the home with the help of the fan for another six to eight hours. Once the aeration period is over, the fumigator must certify that the home is ready for re-entry. After certification is complete, the home owner must be aware of side effects, such as headaches, nausea, coughing, or tearing. If any symptoms are experienced, residents must leave the home, contact a physician and report the occurrence to both the company and to any local agencies that record such incidents.
By hiring a licensed, professional fumigator or termites exterminator steps should be taken to ensure the safety of the occupants of the home. This includes using chloropicrin, the tear gas mentioned above, to warn anyone attempting to enter the home. In addition, the outer doors to the home will have an additional locking mechanism attached to them; thereby allowing only the fumigator the opportunity to enter the home. Lastly, the fumigator should have equipment to detect when the gases are gone and the home can be re-inhabited.
In preparation for termite fumigation, a few things below need to be done.
• Everything living, including people, pets, and plants, must be removed from the house.
• Any food, medicines, mattresses, box springs, and pillows should be removed or placed in a fume-bag that can be provided by the fumigator.
• Any plants near the exterior of the home should be trimmed so that the fumigators can maneuver near the walls and that area should be watered to prevent the fumigant from absorbing into the soil and killing the plants.
• External devices, such as antennas, satellite dishes, and weather vanes, should be taken off of the home
• Some fencing may need to be removed so that the tarps can completely cover the home.
The termite fumigation period will last from 24 to 48 hours. When the appropriate time period has passed, the fumigator will aerate the home with the help of the fan for another six to eight hours. Once the aeration period is over, the fumigator must certify that the home is ready for re-entry. After certification is complete, the home owner must be aware of side effects, such as headaches, nausea, coughing, or tearing. If any symptoms are experienced, residents must leave the home, contact a physician and report the occurrence to both the company and to any local agencies that record such incidents.
Reduce Risk Pesticides in Termites Extermination
Hexaflumuron is a chemical of the benzoylurea class, which regulates insect growth by inhibiting chitin (outer skeleton) formation. It was registered in 1994 — the first active ingredient to be registered as a "reduced risk pesticide" through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) reduced risk program, which waives tests for new pesticides that are thought to pose fewer hazards than existing pesticides. It is registered for use on termites, and is the active ingredient in the Sentricon™ bait system. It functions by inhibiting the synthesis of chitin, the material that makes up the exoskeleton of insects (Cox, 1997).
Toxicity
Hexaflumuron has a low toxicity to rats when ingested, with a LD50 >5000mg/kg for male and female rats. Based in its low LD50 in laboratory animals, it is assumed to be of low toxicity to humans. It is a mild skin and eye irritant, and is not expected to cause carcinogenic, mutagenic, or teratogenic effects (NPTN, Hexaflumeron, 2000). In chronic feeding studies, hexaflumuron increased the incidence and severity of liver cell abnormality. Because it was registered as a reduced-risk pesticide, many of the standard tests are lacking for hexaflumuron, including subchronic toxicity testing, delayed neurotoxicity testing, and tests for developmental or reproductive effects (Cox, 1997).
Environmental Fate
Studies have found the half-life of hexaflumuron to range from 40-160 days. It has low mobility in soil, binding strongly to soil particles, and is not highly soluble in water. If used according to the manufacturer's specifications, it is not likely to contaminate surface or groundwater(NPTN, Hexaflumuron, 2000).
Ecological Effects
It is highly toxic to aquatic animals and should not be used in areas where it could be washed out of the bait station into water at or near the ground surface (MSDS, Recruit II). Hexaflumuron may cause long-term effects in the aquatic environment, and will lead to bioaccumulation of the chemical in fish. It has a very low toxicity to birds (ILO, ISCS: 1266, 1995).
Resources:
Cox, C. 1997. "Subterranean Termites, Part 2." Journal of Pesticide Reform 17(2):21.
TERMITES PHYSICAL BARRIER
Termites control normally use soil chemical treatments that act as barriers between subterranean termites and the house. Other barrier control methods that don't rely on termiticides as the primary deterrent are called physical barriers. Physical termite barriers do not kill termites. Instead, they create a physical roadblock that is difficult for termites to penetrate directly.
Physical barriers commercially available include aggregate, stainless steel mesh, and plastic impregnated with a termiticide.
Aggregate Barrier Or Basaltic Termites Barrier (BTB)
Aggregate barriers, sometimes called basaltic or sand barriers, uses rock particles of a specific size to prevent termite penetration. Termites move soil by using their mouth rather than by digging with their legs or bodies, and aggregate in the 1 to 3-mm range is too large for them to manage.
The principle behind aggregate or basaltic termites barrier (BTB) is simple. The particles of BTB are small enough that they pack tightly and do not allow termites to squeeze through. They are also big and heavy enough that the termites can't pick them up and move them. Finally, the particles are too hard for the termites to chew.
Aggregate barriers are installed between the soil and the foundation, slab, or other vulnerable spots in the house perimeter. The building design and site soil characteristics determine how and where aggregate barriers are placed, but the strategy is to block access for termites residing in the soil to the foundation or utility penetrations.
Problems may occur where the soil is unstable or not fully compacted, when surfaces at the edges of the barrier are rough or irregular, or if there is no protection from mixing with the adjacent soil material.
Stainless Steel Mesh Barrier
Stainless steel mesh barriers have a screen opening that is too small for termites to pass through and too durable for them to shear. Mesh barriers have aperture size of 0.66 mm x 0.45 mm and come in 47.24 in. by 100 ft. rolls. This mesh recently developed and patented in Australia as Termi-Mesh™.
Mesh barriers can be applied over potential entry points into the foundation, such as service pipe penetrations, control joints, brick or block piers, etc. The mesh is bonded to the cement or masonry foundation using bonding cement or epoxy resin. Stainless steel clamps are used to fasten the mesh to pipes.
A mesh barrier is installed around the perimeter of a home and around utility penetrations or expansion joints. Installation shall be accomplished only through accredited installers - typically associated with a pest control operation. Penetrations are treated by fashioning a collar around the utility line and clamping the mesh to the utility. Other installations include under slab, in cavity walls, cold-joint installation between structures, over concrete masonry units, and around timber post supported structures.
Plastic Barrier
Plastic barrier are designed to be installed around pipes and electrical conduit extending through slab foundations. The system also includes a tub trap barrier for the tub drain penetration through a slab. It consist of composite fibre blanket and plastic membrane with termiticide impregnation.
Plastic termite barriers are also installed around utility penetrations through slabs and foundations using clamps. This process is performed prior to the pouring of the slab, and so concrete encases the entire assembly. This system prevents termite entrance through concrete shrinkage cracks, or gaps caused by utility vibration. Termite barriers are not intended as a stand-alone termite control system, but are designed to complement chemical or bait termite control measures. Certified contractors in the pest control field should install plastic termite barrier systems.
Conclusion
This new method in controlling termites infestation can be safer to use and potentially less harmful to the environment than relying only on toxic pesticides. Even though it may cost more initially but it lead to long-term solutions. Physical termite barriers are most effective when installed before or early in the construction process to ensure the best protection.
Physical barriers commercially available include aggregate, stainless steel mesh, and plastic impregnated with a termiticide.
Aggregate Barrier Or Basaltic Termites Barrier (BTB)
Aggregate barriers, sometimes called basaltic or sand barriers, uses rock particles of a specific size to prevent termite penetration. Termites move soil by using their mouth rather than by digging with their legs or bodies, and aggregate in the 1 to 3-mm range is too large for them to manage.
The principle behind aggregate or basaltic termites barrier (BTB) is simple. The particles of BTB are small enough that they pack tightly and do not allow termites to squeeze through. They are also big and heavy enough that the termites can't pick them up and move them. Finally, the particles are too hard for the termites to chew.
Aggregate barriers are installed between the soil and the foundation, slab, or other vulnerable spots in the house perimeter. The building design and site soil characteristics determine how and where aggregate barriers are placed, but the strategy is to block access for termites residing in the soil to the foundation or utility penetrations.
Problems may occur where the soil is unstable or not fully compacted, when surfaces at the edges of the barrier are rough or irregular, or if there is no protection from mixing with the adjacent soil material.
Stainless Steel Mesh Barrier
Stainless steel mesh barriers have a screen opening that is too small for termites to pass through and too durable for them to shear. Mesh barriers have aperture size of 0.66 mm x 0.45 mm and come in 47.24 in. by 100 ft. rolls. This mesh recently developed and patented in Australia as Termi-Mesh™.
Mesh barriers can be applied over potential entry points into the foundation, such as service pipe penetrations, control joints, brick or block piers, etc. The mesh is bonded to the cement or masonry foundation using bonding cement or epoxy resin. Stainless steel clamps are used to fasten the mesh to pipes.
A mesh barrier is installed around the perimeter of a home and around utility penetrations or expansion joints. Installation shall be accomplished only through accredited installers - typically associated with a pest control operation. Penetrations are treated by fashioning a collar around the utility line and clamping the mesh to the utility. Other installations include under slab, in cavity walls, cold-joint installation between structures, over concrete masonry units, and around timber post supported structures.
Plastic Barrier
Plastic barrier are designed to be installed around pipes and electrical conduit extending through slab foundations. The system also includes a tub trap barrier for the tub drain penetration through a slab. It consist of composite fibre blanket and plastic membrane with termiticide impregnation.
Plastic termite barriers are also installed around utility penetrations through slabs and foundations using clamps. This process is performed prior to the pouring of the slab, and so concrete encases the entire assembly. This system prevents termite entrance through concrete shrinkage cracks, or gaps caused by utility vibration. Termite barriers are not intended as a stand-alone termite control system, but are designed to complement chemical or bait termite control measures. Certified contractors in the pest control field should install plastic termite barrier systems.
Conclusion
This new method in controlling termites infestation can be safer to use and potentially less harmful to the environment than relying only on toxic pesticides. Even though it may cost more initially but it lead to long-term solutions. Physical termite barriers are most effective when installed before or early in the construction process to ensure the best protection.
USE OF CHEMICAL IN TERMITES EXTERMINATION
Insecticides Barriers in Termites Extermination
Only certain insecticides are used for termites extermination purposes.They can be applied before construction of a building, on the foundation soil. They can also be applied after construction by drilling holes in the concrete floor.In both types of chemical application, the purpose is to create an insecticidal barrier that prevents termites from entering the building.
Treating before construction is easier and gives better protection. In the trade these are commonly referred to as pre-treatments or “pre-treats.” Insecticides are applied to the soil as a means of blocking concealed access to a structure by subterranean termites .
Treating after construction is usually done to protect a building against further damage by termites after they have been discovered in an existing building. Holes are drilled in the ground floor along the perimeter of the building, and insecticides are pumped into the ground beneath the floor. Any piers, foundation walls, patios, trees, retaining walls, fences or landscaping timbers that come in contact with your property may require treatment.
The chemical can work in a number of ways, depending on which chemical is used. The longevity of chemical treatments is anywhere between seven (7) and ten (10) years.
Spraying insecticides indoors is not a good way in termites extermination, and it can endanger the health of the occupants. Outdoor poles can be treated by spraying them before burying them or by drenching the soil in which they are buried.
Trees are treated by removing the soil from the base of the tree and allowing the insecticide to seep into the soil. Larger trees require a larger volume of insecticide. Spraying only the tree trunk and surface soil is not a good way of protecting them against termites.
Make sure that all termiticides used by termite exterminator are registered and approved by the pesticides control authority in your country.
Only certain insecticides are used for termites extermination purposes.They can be applied before construction of a building, on the foundation soil. They can also be applied after construction by drilling holes in the concrete floor.In both types of chemical application, the purpose is to create an insecticidal barrier that prevents termites from entering the building.
Treating before construction is easier and gives better protection. In the trade these are commonly referred to as pre-treatments or “pre-treats.” Insecticides are applied to the soil as a means of blocking concealed access to a structure by subterranean termites .
Treating after construction is usually done to protect a building against further damage by termites after they have been discovered in an existing building. Holes are drilled in the ground floor along the perimeter of the building, and insecticides are pumped into the ground beneath the floor. Any piers, foundation walls, patios, trees, retaining walls, fences or landscaping timbers that come in contact with your property may require treatment.
The chemical can work in a number of ways, depending on which chemical is used. The longevity of chemical treatments is anywhere between seven (7) and ten (10) years.
Spraying insecticides indoors is not a good way in termites extermination, and it can endanger the health of the occupants. Outdoor poles can be treated by spraying them before burying them or by drenching the soil in which they are buried.
Trees are treated by removing the soil from the base of the tree and allowing the insecticide to seep into the soil. Larger trees require a larger volume of insecticide. Spraying only the tree trunk and surface soil is not a good way of protecting them against termites.
Make sure that all termiticides used by termite exterminator are registered and approved by the pesticides control authority in your country.
SHOP FOR BOOK : TERMITE EXTERMINATION FOR HOME OWNERS
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It's time for people to learn what termites extermination all about.
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INSTALLATION OF TERMITE BAITS
Baiting is an efficient method of termites extermination because it targets the termite nest. It’s also considered an eco-friendly option in termite extermination programs. The active ingredient affects the termite's ability to grow, develop and reproduce. The offending termite colony actually eats itself to destruction.
How installation of termite bait is made ? Here’s couple of steps to set up termite baits station.
1. Outdoor baiting points (stations) are established in the grounds around the building.
2. Each station has wooden stakes held in a holder that is buried in the ground and has openings through which termites can enter.
3. The holders have a removable cover, which can be opened for regular inspection.
4. Once a termite infestation is found in the wooden stakes, the stakes are removed and replaced with bait containing the chemical.
5. The termites that were in the station are returned. They feed on the bait together with new termites.
6. More chemical-containing bait is added regularly to replace what has been eaten.
7. Additional baits in special containers are placed indoors wherever there are termites.
It may takes about 6-12 weeks for the termites to disappear from the baiting stations and the building. However several months may elapse before total colony elimination is effected. There are numerous factors controlling this, such as the time of year, size of the colony and species of termite involved.
Termite baiting has been in serious use in the termites extermination industry for more than 10 years.You may consider this option to exterminate termites in your home.
1. Outdoor baiting points (stations) are established in the grounds around the building.
2. Each station has wooden stakes held in a holder that is buried in the ground and has openings through which termites can enter.
3. The holders have a removable cover, which can be opened for regular inspection.
4. Once a termite infestation is found in the wooden stakes, the stakes are removed and replaced with bait containing the chemical.
5. The termites that were in the station are returned. They feed on the bait together with new termites.
6. More chemical-containing bait is added regularly to replace what has been eaten.
7. Additional baits in special containers are placed indoors wherever there are termites.
It may takes about 6-12 weeks for the termites to disappear from the baiting stations and the building. However several months may elapse before total colony elimination is effected. There are numerous factors controlling this, such as the time of year, size of the colony and species of termite involved.
Termite baiting has been in serious use in the termites extermination industry for more than 10 years.You may consider this option to exterminate termites in your home.
Sexual Reproduction: Birds Do It, Bees Do It; Termites Don't, Necessarily
ScienceDaily (Mar. 28, 2009) — Scientists at North Carolina State University and three universities in Japan have shown for the first time that it is possible for certain female termite "primary queens" to reproduce both sexually and asexually during their lifetimes.
The asexually produced babies mostly grow to be queen successors – so-called "secondary queens" – that remain in the termite colony and mate with the king. This produces large broods of babies without the dangers of inbreeding, as secondary queens have no genes in common with the king.
Babies produced the old-fashioned way, between either the primary or secondary queens and the king, are mostly workers and soldiers of both genders, the research shows.
Dr. Ed Vargo, associate professor of entomology at NC State and a co-author of the paper, says that the species of subterranean termite studied, Reticulitermes speratus, is an important economic pest in Japan and is in the same genus as termites found in North Carolina.
Termite colonies are generally founded and then sustained by a primary king and primary queen. In the study, the scientists collected termites from a number of different colonies in Japan. In many colonies, the primary queen was not present, but had been seemingly succeeded by numerous secondary queens. Most primary kings, meanwhile, were present in the colonies. This suggests, Vargo says, that the primary kings live longer than the primary queens, so there is a strong need for these termites to have genetically diverse queen successors to grow the colonies efficiently.
Vargo's genetic analysis of termite populations in several colonies showed that secondary queens shared genes with primary queens but not with primary kings, suggesting asexual reproduction. At the same time, male and female termite workers and soldiers had genetic traces of both the primary king and primary queen, suggesting sexual reproduction.
"The conditional use of sex is unusual in insects and was previously unknown in termites. This novel use of both sexual and asexual reproduction is a way for primary queens to maximize reproductive output allowing the colony to grow bigger and faster while maintaining genetic diversity and avoiding the disadvantages of inbreeding," Vargo says.
Vargo plans to continue this research by looking for other species of female termites with dual mating systems. He adds that learning more about the genetics behind reproduction could lead to ways of preventing the production of certain castes of termites – like the primary queens that reproduce in two ways – or ways of knocking out certain gene functions in those castes.
Story Source:
Adapted from materials provided by North Carolina State University.
Journal Reference:
1.Kenji Matasuura, Hiroko Nakano and Toshihisa Yashiro, Okayama University; Edward L. Vargo and Paul E. Labadie, North Carolina State University; Kazutaka Kawatsu, Kyoto University; Kazuki Tsuji, University of the Ryukyus. Queen Succession Through Asexual Reproduction in Termites. Science, March 26, 2009
The asexually produced babies mostly grow to be queen successors – so-called "secondary queens" – that remain in the termite colony and mate with the king. This produces large broods of babies without the dangers of inbreeding, as secondary queens have no genes in common with the king.
Babies produced the old-fashioned way, between either the primary or secondary queens and the king, are mostly workers and soldiers of both genders, the research shows.
Dr. Ed Vargo, associate professor of entomology at NC State and a co-author of the paper, says that the species of subterranean termite studied, Reticulitermes speratus, is an important economic pest in Japan and is in the same genus as termites found in North Carolina.
Termite colonies are generally founded and then sustained by a primary king and primary queen. In the study, the scientists collected termites from a number of different colonies in Japan. In many colonies, the primary queen was not present, but had been seemingly succeeded by numerous secondary queens. Most primary kings, meanwhile, were present in the colonies. This suggests, Vargo says, that the primary kings live longer than the primary queens, so there is a strong need for these termites to have genetically diverse queen successors to grow the colonies efficiently.
Vargo's genetic analysis of termite populations in several colonies showed that secondary queens shared genes with primary queens but not with primary kings, suggesting asexual reproduction. At the same time, male and female termite workers and soldiers had genetic traces of both the primary king and primary queen, suggesting sexual reproduction.
"The conditional use of sex is unusual in insects and was previously unknown in termites. This novel use of both sexual and asexual reproduction is a way for primary queens to maximize reproductive output allowing the colony to grow bigger and faster while maintaining genetic diversity and avoiding the disadvantages of inbreeding," Vargo says.
Vargo plans to continue this research by looking for other species of female termites with dual mating systems. He adds that learning more about the genetics behind reproduction could lead to ways of preventing the production of certain castes of termites – like the primary queens that reproduce in two ways – or ways of knocking out certain gene functions in those castes.
Story Source:
Adapted from materials provided by North Carolina State University.
Journal Reference:
1.Kenji Matasuura, Hiroko Nakano and Toshihisa Yashiro, Okayama University; Edward L. Vargo and Paul E. Labadie, North Carolina State University; Kazutaka Kawatsu, Kyoto University; Kazuki Tsuji, University of the Ryukyus. Queen Succession Through Asexual Reproduction in Termites. Science, March 26, 2009
New assay helps track termites and other insects
New assay helps track termites and other insects
ScienceDaily (Feb. 18, 2010) — An Agricultural Research Service (ARS)-developed method to safely and reliably mark termites and other insects over vast acreage so their movements can be tracked is just as effective as the previous method -- and more affordable.
That's according to recently published research by ARS entomologist James Hagler, at the agency's U.S. Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center in Maricopa, Ariz., and his collaborators at the University of Arizona.
They studied the movement patterns of the desert subterranean termite, which poses a threat to wood structures in the southwestern United States and causes an estimated $1.5 billion in losses each year. In the early 1990s, Hagler developed the first-generation immunoglobulin G (IgG) protein insect markers, which used expensive rabbit or chicken IgG proteins to track insects.
In a recent study, the scientists tested the rabbit IgG protein mark on termites in three field locations across the Arizona desert landscape. Each location consisted of 51 termite feeding stations placed at various distances around a rabbit-IgG-impregnated central feeding station infested with termites.
The protein would later be detected on field-collected termites using a rabbit-IgG-specific assay. The study showed that the rabbit protein marked the termites as they fed on the bait placed in the central feeding station, even after long-term exposure to harsh desert elements.
Now Hagler and his cooperators have developed a less expensive method of marking the insects with egg white, cow milk, or soy milk proteins, which can be sprayed on insects in the field using conventional spray equipment such as helicopters, airplanes and ground rigs. Each protein is detected by a protein-specific ELISA test. The test is less expensive because the assays have been optimized for mass production.
Working alongside fellow ARS entomologist Steven Naranjo in Maricopa and collaborators at the University of Arizona and the University of California, Hagler has also successfully tested this method on a wide variety of pest and beneficial insects.
Ultimately this state-of-the-art method will lead to better and more cost-effective control of termites, glassy-winged sharpshooters, lygus bugs, mosquitoes and other pests.
Results of two termite studies were recently published in the International Union for the Study of Social Insects' scientific journal Insectes Sociaux.
New assay helps track termites and other insects
ScienceDaily (Feb. 18, 2010) — An Agricultural Research Service (ARS)-developed method to safely and reliably mark termites and other insects over vast acreage so their movements can be tracked is just as effective as the previous method -- and more affordable.
That's according to recently published research by ARS entomologist James Hagler, at the agency's U.S. Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center in Maricopa, Ariz., and his collaborators at the University of Arizona.
They studied the movement patterns of the desert subterranean termite, which poses a threat to wood structures in the southwestern United States and causes an estimated $1.5 billion in losses each year. In the early 1990s, Hagler developed the first-generation immunoglobulin G (IgG) protein insect markers, which used expensive rabbit or chicken IgG proteins to track insects.
In a recent study, the scientists tested the rabbit IgG protein mark on termites in three field locations across the Arizona desert landscape. Each location consisted of 51 termite feeding stations placed at various distances around a rabbit-IgG-impregnated central feeding station infested with termites.
The protein would later be detected on field-collected termites using a rabbit-IgG-specific assay. The study showed that the rabbit protein marked the termites as they fed on the bait placed in the central feeding station, even after long-term exposure to harsh desert elements.
Now Hagler and his cooperators have developed a less expensive method of marking the insects with egg white, cow milk, or soy milk proteins, which can be sprayed on insects in the field using conventional spray equipment such as helicopters, airplanes and ground rigs. Each protein is detected by a protein-specific ELISA test. The test is less expensive because the assays have been optimized for mass production.
Working alongside fellow ARS entomologist Steven Naranjo in Maricopa and collaborators at the University of Arizona and the University of California, Hagler has also successfully tested this method on a wide variety of pest and beneficial insects.
Ultimately this state-of-the-art method will lead to better and more cost-effective control of termites, glassy-winged sharpshooters, lygus bugs, mosquitoes and other pests.
Results of two termite studies were recently published in the International Union for the Study of Social Insects' scientific journal Insectes Sociaux.
New assay helps track termites and other insects
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