Plant Protection (Scientific Journal of Agriculture)

Plant Protection (Scientific Journal of Agriculture)

Evaluation of the repellent and antifeedant effects of selected insecticides against the subterranean termite Microcerotermes diversus (Blattoidea: Termitidae)

Document Type : Research paper-English

Authors
Y. Davoodi 1
F. Yarahmadi 2
A. Rajabpour 2
1 M.Sc. Graduate of Entomology, Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Iran
2 Professor, Department of Plant Protection; Faculty of Agriculture, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Iran
10.22055/ppr.2025.49728.1810
Abstract
The subterranean termite, Microcerotermes diversus Silvestri (Blattoidea: Termitidae), is one of the most destructive pests in tropical regions, particularly in southwestern Iran, causing significant damage to palm trees and wooden structures. Traditional control methods, such as direct insecticide spraying, often fail because termites are cryptic. Toxic baiting systems that exploit termite trophallaxis offer a more sustainable solution, provided the insecticides used lack repellent and antifeedant effects. This study investigated the repellency and antifeedant effects of four insecticides, including thiacloprid (a neonicotinoid), imidacloprid (a neonicotinoid), emamectin benzoate (a macrocyclic lactone), and matrine (a plant-derived alkaloid), against worker termites of M. diversus under laboratory conditions. Termites were exposed to treated and untreated bait disks in soil-covered containers, and their food consumption and aggregation were recorded after 72 hours. The results showed that emamectin benzoate significantly reduced termite presence on treated baits by 20.89%, 26.08%, and 45.45% at concentrations of 0.001, 0.002, and 0.01 (L/L), respectively. Matrine also exhibited strong repellency, reducing termite settlement by 58.82% and 66.66% at concentrations of 0.002 and 0.01 (L/L), respectively. Both compounds also displayed antifeedant effects, as indicated by no significant weight loss in treated bait disks compared to controls.
In contrast, thiacloprid and imidacloprid demonstrated attractant properties, with termite density on treated baits being 6.8% to 213% higher than on control baits across all tested concentrations. Significant bait consumption was observed on disks treated with thiacloprid or imidacloprid, indicating no antifeedant effect. The findings suggest that emamectin benzoate and matrine are unsuitable baiting systems because of their repellent properties. Conversely, thiacloprid and imidacloprid, which do not repel termites and allow continued feeding, represent promising options for sustainable termite management in agricultural and urban environments.
Keywords
Subterranean termites
behavioral response
toxic bait
neonicotinoids
biopesticides
Subjects
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 © 2025 by the authors. Licensee SCU, Ahvaz, Iran. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0 license) (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.
Plant Protection (Scientific Journal of Agriculture)
Volume 48, Issue 3
Autumn 2025
Pages 113-121