Suitability of Substrate for Laboratory Studies with the Subterranean Termite Reticulitermes grassei (Clément) (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

• Main Authors: Patricia Gallardo, Ana M Cardenas, Raquel Murillo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana 2016-07-01
• Series: Sociobiology
• Subjects: Rearing cultures; Suitability of substrate; Termite survival rate
• Online Access: http://periodicos.uefs.br/index.php/sociobiology/article/view/989

Two substrates, sand and vermiculite, were tested in rearing laboratory experiments with Reticulitermes grassei at different culture periods (2, 4 and 6 weeks). Although information is available regarding procedures to keep species of Reticulitermes in lab, none of them is referred to the Mediterranean termite R. grassei. The suitability of substratum was assessed in terms of survival of termites. The highest survival rate was in the experiment with sand and short-time duration, but after six weeks exposure, survival was significantly lower on this substrate. These differences among substrates were not significant for any of the treatments.