For the past 25 years, the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae has been studied as the candidate for biological control against termites. Most of the studies have shown the capacity of the fungus to kill termites, but in most of the cases, the experiments were conducted in a small in vitro environment (limited space and a limited number of termites). These data were positive for M. anisopliae as biological control agent, but in field studies it seems that the fungus has a limited success against termites.

  The relationship between termites and the fungus seems to be much more complicated then previously thought, but termite behavioral responses appear to reduce the risk of an epizootic. 

  Unfortunately, in subterranean termites, the complexity of the colony structure hindered study of the pathogen-termite relationship and it is more difficult to understand the dynamic of the fungus inside the nest. 

  In order to analyze this dynamic, a large-scale experiment was setup with a transparent 50-meter long arena, containing 10,000 termites. This experiment simulated a field environment and spread of the disease within the colony was observed.

This has given a better understanding of the termites’ social mechanisms that work to reduce the spread of the fungus within the colony and for a field colony to survive.