Investigation into the Effects and Transfer in Different Concentrations of Boric Acid from Exposed to Non-Exposed Workers of Microcerotermes diversus (Isoptera: Termitidae)

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Microcerotermes diversus (Silvestri) is considered as the most economically destructive pest of wood products in Ahwaz. The potential for horizontal transfer of non- repellent termiticides among nest mates has become an important paradigm for control of termites in recent years. This laboratory study evaluated the ability of M. diversus worker termites exposed to boric acid in transfering the lethal concentrations of this compound to non-exposed recipient workers. Boric acid is a non-repellent termiticide known to be effective against M. diversus at relevant concentrations. Donor – recipient trial in two ratios were carried out: 1:1(10 donors: 10 recipients) and 1:5 (10 donors: 50 recipients). In the trials, workers were placed on filter paper treated with 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 % boric acid. Exposed workers were then removed from the treated paper, placed in a clean container, and allowed to have side-by-side feeding interactions with non-exposed recipient workers for a duration of 14 days, in which the mortality was assessed. Results indicated that mortality of non-exposed workers contacted by the exposed ones rose with increasing insecticide concentrations in all worker ratios. Therefore, transfer of lethal concentrations of this insecticide from the donor to recipient was observed and established in this study.

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