Behavioral responses of the arboreal termite Nasutitermes corniger (Isoptera: Termitidae) to wood extracts

Gazal, Vinícius; Bailez, Omar; Viana-Bailez, Ana Maria; Aguiar-Menezes, Elen L.; Menezes, Eurípedes Barsanulfo

doi:10.1007/s00226-014-0625-4

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…In addition, the degree of decomposition (Gazal et al, 2012) and chemical stimuli of wood (Gazal et al, 2014a) also influence attraction, as well as substances of the salivary gland of N. corniger workers, which can have an aggregation or arrestant effect, and possibly pheromone substances in the feces that aid this species in the exploratory orientation of cellulosic substrates (Gazal et al, 2014b).…”

Section: Sociobiologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Food Resource Size on the Foraging Behavior of Nasutitermes corniger (Motschulsky)

et al. 2018

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In general, termite foraging can be affected by physical and chemical factors linked to food. This study investigated if the wood length of Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maiden, as a food resource, influences the behavior of foraging events of Nasutitermes corniger (Motschulsky). Nests with mature and active colonies were collected in the field and transferred to glass cubes connected to a test arena under laboratory conditions. Wooden blocks of E. grandis, with a 2.5 x 2.0 cm rectangular cross section, were offered to termites in three different lengths: 5, 10 and 15 cm. Each test was repeated with 20 nests and lasted 60 minutes, when the following behavioral events and their duration were observed: initial exploration, initial recruitment and mass recruitment. At the end of each test, the quantities of termites (total, workers and soldiers) and gnawing workers were determined. The results show that longer blocks favored a higher occurrence of exploration and initial recruitment. However, the highest mass recruitment occurred with the 10 cm blocks. The length of the wood influenced the total number of termites recruited and gnawing workers; both were highest for the 10 cm blocks. There was no significant difference in relation to exploration time of the blocks and number of workers and soldiers recruited. Therefore, we conclude that wood length is a factor that can affect N. corniger foraging.

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Section: Sociobiologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Food Resource Size on the Foraging Behavior of Nasutitermes corniger (Motschulsky)

et al. 2018

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“…In termites, social foraging allows for collective exploitation of food sources by integration of standardized individual behaviors, which are triggered by chemical and/or physical stimuli from nestmates or the food source (Traniello & Busher, 1985; Traniello & Leuthold, 2000; Gazal et al, 2012, 2014b). In the present study, N. corniger soldiers explored treated and untreated substrates interchangeably, which indicates that the foraging behavior of the soldier caste is not altered by substances from the salivary glands of colony workers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Initial exploration was considered to have occurred when a group of soldiers made contact with the food source and at least one of them applied pressure on the substrate with the abdomen and immediately returned to the nest (Gazal et al, 2014b). Mass recruitment was considered to have occurred when a dense trail of workers was formed between the nest and the substrate (Gazal et al, 2010(Gazal et al, , 2014b. Gnawing was considered to have occurred when at least one worker fixed one of the jaws on the substrate and shredded cellulosic fibers with the other jaw by longitudinal movement of the head (Kaib & Ziesmann, 1992).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the second phase, individuals belonging to the worker caste follow the pheromone trail, collect the resource, and reinforce the chemical trail during their return to the nest (Gazal et al, 2014a). In the third phase, foraging is intensified by mass recruitment, characterized by the formation of a dense network of workers connecting the nest and food source (Traniello, 1981;Traniello & Busher, 1985;Gazal et al, 2010Gazal et al, , 2012Gazal et al, , 2014aGazal et al, , 2014b. After 24 h, the third phase is consolidated through the construction of tunnels over foraging tracks to protect termites from dehydration and predators (Arab & Issa, 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Salivary gland substances of the arboreal termite Nasutitermes corniger induce worker aggregation and gnawing of food substrate

Gazal

Bailez

Viana-Bailez

2023

Entomologia Exp Applicata

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In social insects, collective behavior is regulated by substances secreted by various glands of different members of society. In this study, we investigate whether salivary glands of the arboreal termite Nasutitermes corniger (Motschulsky) (Isoptera: Termitidae) contain substances that regulate the intensity of foraging behavior. Foraging arenas of N. corniger nests maintained under laboratory conditions received the addition of two filter paper substrates, one impregnated with salivary gland extract from third-instar small workers (SW3) (treatment) and the other impregnated with distilled water (control). A similar experiment was conducted using salivary gland extract from fourth-instar large workers (LW4). Occurrences of initial exploration, mass recruitment, and substrate gnawing behaviors, as well as numbers of recruited and gnawing workers, were recorded. There was a higher rate of mass recruitment to treated substrates than to the control (SW3: 80 vs. 25%; LW4: 90 vs. 25%). Gnawing behavior also occurred at higher rates on treated substrates (SW3: 95 vs. 35%; LW4: 100 vs. 45%). The number of workers recruited to and gnawing on treated substrate was significantly higher than the number of workers recruited to and gnawing on control substrate. The higher rates of worker recruitment, as well as the higher numbers of recruited and gnawing workers, show that salivary glands of last-instar workers contain substances with arresting and/or phagostimulating pheromonal actions or substances that release compounds with these properties.

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Water absorption and termite attack on a Kraft paper-based composite treated with recycled polystyrene and three commercial resins

2017

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Behavioral responses of the arboreal termite Nasutitermes corniger (Isoptera: Termitidae) to wood extracts

Cited by 8 publications

References 18 publications

Influence of Food Resource Size on the Foraging Behavior of Nasutitermes corniger (Motschulsky)

Influence of Food Resource Size on the Foraging Behavior of Nasutitermes corniger (Motschulsky)

Salivary gland substances of the arboreal termite Nasutitermes corniger induce worker aggregation and gnawing of food substrate

Water absorption and termite attack on a Kraft paper-based composite treated with recycled polystyrene and three commercial resins

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