Directional change in tunneling of subterranean termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) in response to decayed wood attractants.
Wood discs decayed with brown rot fungi and polymer discs impregnated with acetone extract of decayed wood were embedded in sand of a two-dimensional foraging arena to evaluate their attractant potential in directing termite tunnels toward them. Termites were released near one arena corner and were guided to follow the physical guideline of the arena edges. In the absence of the attractants, termites generally formed a relatively linear tunnel along the edges. When decayed wood discs or treated polymer discs were placed in wet sand near one side of the arena, termite tunnels departed from the arena edges and were oriented toward them. The attraction distance ranged from 12 to 18 cm. The attractant properties were most likely water soluble and permeated through wet sand to cause termites to change their orientation. The results demonstrated that when such attractants are placed near a bait station in the field, they may be used to direct termite foraging toward the station.
Behavioral responses of the arboreal termite Nasutitermes corniger (Isoptera: Termitidae) to wood extracts
The termite Nasutitermes corniger is attracted to weathered wood, but it is not known whether this attraction is of chemical or physical nature. This work examines whether wood extracts can change the attraction of N. corniger to a food substrate. In a first experiment, filter paper impregnated with a eucalyptus extract, Eucalyptus grandis, and another one with a solvent were placed in the foraging arena of N. corniger nests under laboratory conditions. The extracts used were from weathered or unweathered wood. During the second experiment, two tests were performed using eucalyptus wood. First, a piece of unweathered wood was impregnated with an extract of weathered wood (treatment) or solvent (control). In the second test, a piece of weathered wood was impregnated with an extract of unweathered wood (treatment) and another one with solvent (control). At the end of the tests, the number of termite recruitment on each substrate was quantified. Filter paper recruited more termites when treated with unweathered wood extracts or with extracts of weathered wood than when impregnated with the solvent. Unweathered wood treated with extracts of weathered wood recruited more termites than the control. However, weathered wood impregnated with extracts of unweathered wood recruited similar numbers of termites as the same wood impregnated with the solvent. It was verified that chemicals from weathered or unweathered wood increased the foraging activity of N. corniger in neutral substrates, but only chemicals from weathered wood altered the attraction of N. corniger to eucalyptus wood.
Systematic search for food in the subterranean termite Reticulitermes santonensis De Feytaud (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae)

Summary: The search for food in subterranean termites is investigated in the French species Reticulitermes santonensis De Feytaud (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae). Not accompanied by soldiers, only few pioneer workers explore a new territory systematically in every direction by means of short exploratory trails (median: 1.3 cm). Following these trails, termites build subterranean tunnels and/or galleries in the open, hereby forming an extensive regularly branched net. Food is detected over distance by perceiving volatiles emanating from the wood. Then foragers appear more frequently and undertake longer exploratory runs (up to 15 cm), which are directed towards the odour source. Following contact with the wood, sucessful workers return to the nest precisely along their exploratory trail and hereby lay a recruitment trail. This recruitment trail is immediately followed by further workers as well as by single soldiers. Following the course of this trail, termites build a non‐branched subterranean tunnel or a gallery above ground leading straight to the wood. This direct access requires less investment and provides workers with a shelter ensuring a rapid and safe exploitation of the food source.