Tuesday, December 12, 2006 - 8:41 AM
0787

Evidence of subterranean termite (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) damage in tree stumps following Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, LA

Kenneth S. Brown, kennesb04@yahoo.com, Barry P. Yokum, bpyokum@hotmail.com, Claudia Riegel, criegel@cityofno.com, Ed D. Freytag, edfreytag@usa.net, and Michael K. Carroll, mkcarroll@usa.net. City of New Orleans Mosquito and Termite Control Board, 6601 Stars and Stripes Blvd, New Orleans, LA

High winds and storm surge associated with hurricane Katrina damaged thousands of trees in the New Orleans area in August 2005. Stumps remaining from damaged trees were evaluated for evidence of termite activity. Tree identification, global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinates, cut height, stump circumference and diameter, and infestation circumference and diameter were recorded for each stump. Tree species with evidence of termite feeding included live oak, Quercus virginiana P. Mill.; water oak, Quercus nigra L.; hybrid oaks, Quercus spp.; baldcypress, Taxodium distichum (L.) L.C. Rich; pine, Pinus sp.; mulberry, Morus sp.; hackberry, Celtis sp.; Chinese tallow, Sapium sebiferum (L.) Roxb.; Arizona ash, Fraxinus velutina; Sabal palm, Sabal sp.; black willow, Salix nigra Marsh.; crepe myrtle, Lagerstroemia indica L.; and red tip, Photinia fraseri. More than 750 stumps were evaluated during the summer of 2006. Incidence of termite damage varied by tree species and location. In total, 20.2% of stumps showed signs of termite damage.


Species 1: Isoptera Rhinotermitidae Coptotermes formosanus (Formosan subterranean termite)

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