Killing It In The Egg: A Termite Bait Story
Termite baits can wipe out a colony in about 90 days, but the colony's eggs are gone by day 30. Why? A new study investigates and fills in a missing piece of the puzzle in understanding how termite colonies collapse when exposed to a chitin synthesis inhibitor.
So, You Want to Study Termite Control? Step 1: Raise a Few Million Termites
Subterranean termite colonies can be as large as 1 million individuals with a foraging territory and underground galleries stretching up to 100 meters long. How does an entomologist study something that large? Here's a behind-the-scenes look at how researchers at the University of Florida have raised entire termite colonies from scratch and devised experimental setups that mimic large foraging and nesting areas while still fitting inside a lab.
Fluid Termite Bait Aims to Combine Best of Both Management Methods
A new termite-control method currently in development looks to combine the advantages of a liquid insecticide application with the comprehensive impact of existing solid termite bait systems.
Bait-Stricken Termites Still Heed Call to Molt in Their Central Nest
A recent study at the University of Florida found that termites baited with an insecticide known as a chitin synthesis inhibitor will still follow their natural compulsion to return to their central nest to molt, an important factor in the efficacy of such baits.