Mindi (Melia azedarach) wood with density of 0.43 g/cm 3 from Indonesia and sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) wood with density of 0.34 g/cm 3 from Japan were treated with borax preservative, acetylation, polystyrene, and smoke. Treated and untreated wood samples were tested for resistance against subterranean termite (Coptotermes curvignathus) and dry wood termite (Cryptotermes cynocephalus) in the laboratory according to Indonesian standards. In addition to determining resistance of treated woods to termite attack, this work also evaluated termite feeding rates. The results showed that mindi has better resistance to subterranean and dry wood termite attack than sugi. All treatments effectively increased resistance to subterranean and dry wood termite attacks as shown by treated wood samples having less weight loss, higher resistance class, higher termite mortality, and a lower termite feeding rate compared to untreated wood. Daily termite feeding rate of untreated mindi was 50.3 lg/ termite and sugi 95.8 lg/termite, the feeding rate of sugi was higher than mindi probably because sugi has a lower density and contains early wood, which both make termite feeding activity easier. The wood treatments effectively decreased the daily feeding rate of the termites.

The objective of this work was to investigate the resistance of three Indonesian wood species to termite attack. Samples from sengon (Falcataria moluccana), mangium (Acacia mangium), and pine (Pinus merkusii) were treated with polystyrene at loading levels of 26.0%, 8.6%, and 7.7%, respectively. Treated and untreated samples were exposed to environmental conditions in the field for 3 months. Untreated specimens of sengon, mangium, and pine had resistance ratings of 3.0, 4.6, and 2.4, respectively, based on a 10-point scale from 0 (no resistance) to 10 (complete or near-complete resistance). Corresponding resistance values of 7.8, 7.2, and 8.2 were determined for specimens treated with polystyrene. Overall weight loss values of 50.3%, 23.3%, and 66.4% were found for untreated sengon, mangium, and pine samples, respectively; for treated samples, the values were 7.6%, 14.4%, and 5.1%, respectively. Based on the findings in this study, overall resistance to termite attack was higher for treated samples compared to untreated samples.