Bioactivity of diatomaceous earth against the subterranean termite Reticulitermes chinensis Snyder (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

Abstract

The effects of diatomaceous earth (DE) on the penetrating behavior, tunneling behavior, mortality, and body surface characteristics of the subterranean termite Reticulitermes chinensis were investigated in this study. Our results show that the workers of R. chinensis were able to penetrate 1- and 2-mm layers of dry DE but not 3-mm layers. After treatment with dry DE for 6 h, the mortality of termites reached 100%, which was significantly higher than in the treatment with DE with a 10 and 25% moisture content and treatment with sand of three different moisture contents. The tunneling distances of workers in DE with 10, 25, and 50% moisture contents were all significantly shorter than those in sand with the same moisture contents (10, 25, and 50%), indicating that DE has a good suppressing effect on the tunneling behavior of workers. After treatment with dry DE for different times (1, 3, and 6 h), many DE particles adhered to the bodies of workers, whereas no particles adhered to the body of workers in the case of treatment with dry sand. The treatment with dry DE for 6 h resulted in the death of all workers, which presented conspicuous abdominal shrinkage, whereas workers treated with sand had no significant mortality and no obvious abdominal shrinkage. In summary, we suggest that dry DE has ideal insecticidal activity against the subterranean termite R. chinensis and can be further exploited for controlling termites inside houses.

Quantitative Structure–Activity Relationship Modeling and Docking of Monoterpenes with Insecticidal Activity Against Reticulitermes chinensis Snyder and Drosophila melanogaster

“…In view of this, this is an economically important pest in China . It is essential to seek viable strategies for the environment to control this species of termite …”

“…9 It is essential to seek viable strategies for the environment to control this species of termite. 10 2.2. Drosophila melanogaster.…”

Uncovering the function of insulin receptor substrate in termites’ immunity through active immunization

“…The subterranean termite R. chinensis Snyder is an important pest of forest trees and urban buildings in China, including Beijing, Tianjin, Shanxi, and the Yangtze River drainage basin ( Huang et al 2013 , Gao et al 2018 ). The entomopathogenic fungus (EPF) Metarhizium anisopliae (Metchnikoff) Sorokin is an ideal experimental fungus for studying insect social immunity and is being developed in biological pest control ( Masri and Cremer 2014 , Liu et al 2019 ).…”

Circadian Rhythms of Locomotor Activity Mediated by Cryptochrome 2 and Period 1 Genes in the Termites Reticulitermes chinensis and Odontotermes formosanus

“…The termites Reticulitermes chinensis and Odontotermes formosanus are widely distributed in China, especially in the area south of the Yangtze River [31]. These two termite species make excellent candidates for studying circadian rhythms due to their irrelevant visual cues [32,33].…”