The most potent Biodeteriogen.

Life Cycle , Effects and its Controls..

Presented by:

Kamaljit Kshetrimayum

Introduction:

Termites are social insects living in colonies. Each colony contains specialized castes, or types of individuals, such as reproductives, workers and soldiers, that performs different jobs.

Reproductive caste

Reproductives, king and queen can be winged (primary) or wingless (secondary).

Each queen has the capability to lay eggs. Winged reproductives are called alates or swarmers and

the wingless are de-alates. Alates are the only caste not living underground or

within wood. Alates themselves neither cause damage to structures

nor physical harm to people. Life span of a queen can be as much as 30 years.

Fig: Reproductive: King and Queen

Workers

Sterile, wingless and blind males and females. They are soft-bodied, creamy-white wingless and make

up the largest number of population within a colony. The workers and immatures are the only caste that

damages wood and other materials. Workers build mud tubes and tunnels, forage for and

obtain food to feed themselves and the entire colony, construct and maintain nests, and care for eggs and young.

Worker’s life span is one to five years.

Fig: Worker

Soldiers Like workers, they are sterile, wingless and blind

males and females. They defend their colony from intruders. They can’t feed themselves, they have to be fed

by workers. Usually the number of the soldiers is much smaller

than the number of workers. Their life span is one to two years.

Fig: Soldier

Biodeterioration and Biodeterioration and BiodeteriogensBiodeteriogens Biodeterioration is a term that includes all types of damage caused

by living entities like insects, fungi, bacteria and actinomycetes making the material unsuitable for its intended use.

S.M. Nair (1972) defined Biodeterioration as “any undesirable change in the properties of the material caused by vital activities of organisms”

The agents causing Biodeterioration is known as Biodeteriogens.

Taxonomy Termites are broadly grouped into nine families, namely1) Mastotermitidae

2) Kalotermitidae

3) Termopsidae

4) Hodotermitidae

5) Rhinotermitidae

6) Stylotermitidae

7) Serritermitidae

8) Termitidae

9) Indotermitidae

Classification

Termites are classified into- Tree dwelling termites Damp wood termites Dry wood termites Subterranean termites

In the conservation of buildings and monuments and in museums the dry-wood termites and the subterranean termites are of principal significance.

Separating Termites from Ants The first step in managing any insects is to

identify it correctly. People usually confuse termites and ants

of their similar appearances. Termites are not ants and certainly not

white ants. Ants do not eat wood, though some ants

tunnel through wood and live in it.

Termite Vs AntsAntsAnts TermitesTermites

AntennaeAntennae ElbowedElbowed Straight and Straight and beadlikebeadlike

WaistWaist Very narrow Very narrow (constricted)(constricted)

BroadBroad

WingsWings Front wings larger Front wings larger than the hind wings than the hind wings

Equal sized front Equal sized front and hind wingsand hind wings

Life Cycle

Termites undergo an incomplete transformation (Hemi-metabolism)

Life Cycle

Effects(Deterioration caused by termites)

Termites are able to destroy almost all kinds of organic materials and so are also described as the most potent bio-deteriorating agent.

Termites are cellulose-feeding insects.

The damages are largely done by the workers who are responsible for feeding the entire community.

Besides all kinds of crops, they damage wood works, paper materials, textiles and also the building structures.

Wooden Objects

Textiles

Paper and Archival materials

Buildings

ControlsIn order to apply suitable protective and control

methods or treatments, knowledge of occurrence and habit are very important (Richardson 1993; Creffield 1996).

Apart from the general methods used for storage of materials, the following special methods as suggested by R.C.Gupta (1954) and others may be adopted for controlling termite damage.

Using ‘Hygienic’ storage, keeping materials above ground and allowing space all around for easy inspection. Not to dump books or other vulnerable materials on the floor and against walls.

Where books are stored in almirahs made of untreated wood, the legs should be stand in cups containing either coal-tar and creosate-kerosine oil mixture (1:2) or phenyl in strong water solution.

Alternatively, the wood all over is brush-coated with either Chlorophenol- napthanol -petroleum mixture (1:1:40, 2 coats), or 20% water solution of zinc chloride (3 coats) or hot coal tar creosote (3 coats)

Fumigation is the most effective means of eliminating dry-wood termites.

The floors and walls of libraries should be free of cracks as subterranean termites can enter through them.

Fresh infection maybe eradicated by blowing dust insecticides such as B.H.C, aldrin, dieldrin, chlordane etc.

Termites Toxicants

Four termites toxicants are recognized in the United States as the most effective and long lasting of those tested to date for control of Subterranean termites (Johnston, 1963, and personal communication, 1963).

It is recommended by National Pest Control Association,1965 that any of the four can be applied as an emulsion in water.

Toxicants Concentrations

Aldrin(actual) 0.5% by weight

Chlordane(technical) 1.0% by weight

Dieldrin(actual) 0.5% by weight

Heptachlor(actual) 0.5% by weight

Combination of these toxicants is acceptable as long as proportioned to provide the equivalent of the full reference concentration.

Toxicants and recommended reference concentrations:

Conclusion

Regardless of the refinement of the present techniques and sophistication of new principles of termite control, their efficient use requires a

sound understanding of the biology of termites.

Thank you..