Effects of testing procedures and collection methods on feeding of Formosan subterranean termites on untreated wood

The AWPA E-1 06 test (Standard Method for Laboratory Evaluation to Determine Resistance to Subterranean Termites) is an important test to determine the efficacy of wood preservatives resistance of cellulosic material to subterranean termites.   This test is of particular interest to companies developing new wood preservatives for various market sectors.  The Formosan subterranean termite (FST; Coptotermes formosanus, Shiraki) was introduced in the United States following World War II.  The FST has led to renewed interest in wood durability, particularly for housing applications in the U.S. South, which is in an inherently high deterioration risk zone.  The E-1 test can be affected by numerous factors that are not currently accounted for and perhaps may not need to be in the current test protocol.  Particular factors of interest that may influence FST vigor include collection method, season collected, geographic location, and laboratory storage time.  This study was therefore initiated to examine the effects of these variables on termite mortality, sample weight loss and sample visual rating (0-10) after 28 days of exposure of untreated southern yellow pine solid wood samples (controls) to Formosan subterranean termites using the procedures of the AWPA E1=06 jar test.