Urban Termites of Recife, Northeast Brazil (Isoptera)

Abstract

This study surveyed the termite fauna in urban properties of the city of Recife, state of Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil. Six-hundred properties were inspected in search for termites or signs of their activity, such as abandoned nests, galleries on walls, and fecal pellets. Seven termite species, belonging to seven genera and three families (Kalotermitidae, Rhinotermitidae, and Termtidae) were found causing some type of damage. Nasutitermes corniger and Cryptotermes dudleyi were the most frequent species within buildings (82.4% and 9.5 %, respectively). Such species, along with Coptotermes gestroi, were responsible for the greatest damage recorded. With the exception of Cryptotermes dudleyi and Coptotermes gestroi, all of the species are native and relatively common in northeastern Brazil's Atlantic forest.

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

“…In the last decades, N. corniger has become of great economic importance due to increasing reports of damage to residences in various Brazilian and Argentinian cities, which have confirmed its status as a pest (Mill, 1991;Menezes et al, 2000;Constantino, 2002;Costa-Leonardo, 2002;Fontes & Milano, 2002;Torales, 2002;Albuquerque et al, 2012).…”

Termite (Isoptera) survey in urban area in Northern of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil

“…Decades ago, this species was mainly observed in natural or agricultural environments (Fontes and Milano 2002). However, the incidence of N. corniger in urban households has risen in recent years (Costa et al 2009;Albuquerque et al 2012;Mello et al 2014) what indicates its increasing importance as an urban pest. A major reduction in the natural vegetation in urban-transition areas could be the main cause for increases in N. corniger populations in Recife city, capital of Pernambuco State in Brazilian northeastern region (Milano and Fontes 2002b;Albuquerque et al 2012).…”

“…However, the incidence of N. corniger in urban households has risen in recent years (Costa et al 2009;Albuquerque et al 2012;Mello et al 2014) what indicates its increasing importance as an urban pest. A major reduction in the natural vegetation in urban-transition areas could be the main cause for increases in N. corniger populations in Recife city, capital of Pernambuco State in Brazilian northeastern region (Milano and Fontes 2002b;Albuquerque et al 2012). This termite was assigned as being more abundant in disturbed areas as in secondary forests (Bandeira et al 2003;Vasconcellos et al 2005), and the construction of polycalic and/or polygynic nests significantly increases the foraging area and reproductive capacity of each colony, allowing the termite to spread and colonize new habitats (Thorne 1982;Vasconcellos and Bandeira 2006), which may include urban areas.…”

“…On the other hand, in urban areas termites can cause significant damage. Increasing urbanization has encroached on areas of agricultural or natural vegetation, resulting in gradual or sudden transformation of termite habitats (Albuquerque et al 2012). Such changes sometimes may result in the eradication of native termite species, whilst favoring the introduction or dispersal of exotic synanthropic species, which progressively cause greater impact in those new environmental contexts with abundant resources and low number of natural enemies (Milano 1998;Milano and Fontes 2002a;Vasconcellos et al 2005).…”

“…The number of termite species considered to be urban pests is relatively small, but they cause enormous damage (Fontes 1995;Amaral 2002). Most termite pests in urban areas in southeastern Brazil are members of the families the Kalotermitidae and Rhinotermitidae (Eleotério and Berti-Filho, 2000;Milano and Fontes 2002a), but in other regions of Brazil, arboreal termites from the family Termitidae can also cause significant economic losses (Costa-Leonardo et al 2007;Albuquerque et al 2012). Eighteen termite species are considered urban pests in Brazil (Constantino 2005).…”