Spider venoms as a source of potent termiticides

Australian spiders are known for their toxicity, though they have never been comprehensively screened for insecticidal activity. Several species of Australian termite cause significant economic damage to buildings, agricultural areas, and public property (e.g., telephone poles) in Queensland. Arthropod pests have traditionally been controlled with chemical insecticides. However, the evolution of insecticide resistance in target insects, combined with the revocation of key insecticides due to their adverse environmental effects, has created an unmet demand for a new generation of environmentally friendly insecticides or alternative methods of arthropod control. To date, no one has examined whether spider venom is toxic to termites. We have isolated toxins from the venom of Australian tarantulas Selenotypus plumipes Pocock (Araneae: Theraphosidae), and screened them for activity against the economically important subterranean termite Coptotermes acinaciformis (Froggatt) (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). Several toxins with potent activity have been discovered, and protein sequencing and characterization are underway.