A relatively new threat to the contiguous United States, the Formosan subterranean termite (Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki) is spreading rapidly throughout the southern states. The presence of the Formosan termite has been confirmed in south Mississippi and adjacent states. As a result of alate monitoring beginning in the spring of 1999 and continuing throughout the summer of 2001, significant infestations have been documented in coastal Mississippi and along major transportation corridors. Based on this data, an estimation of the range of the Formosan termite in south Mississippi was established and used as a location indicator of established colonies throughout coastal Mississippi. Initially the alate studies were composed of monitoring traps, consisting of sticky paper placed under streetlights, which were run for 10 weeks covering 13 counties to establish data on the range of the Formosan termite in south Mississippi. Using the baseline data gathered from last year’s alate monitoring, this year monitoring was expanded to cover additional counties for a total of 19 and expanded 4 additional weeks, concluding at the end of July. Current monitoring efforts include monitoring of areas where new experimental bait toxins are being tested on an area-wide basis as well as, forest-urban interface areas located at least 300 feet from existing buildings. Forest-urban interface study sites were established to investigate the existence and spread of the Formosan termite infestations into forested areas from boarding urban areas. As a result of this year’s monitoring, the presence of the Formosan termite has been documented in forested areas as well as additional urban areas in Mississippi.
Species 1: Isoptera Rhinotermitidae Coptotermes formosanus (Formosan subterranean termite)
Keywords: alate monitoring, range
The ESA 2001 Annual Meeting - 2001: An Entomological Odyssey of ESA