Termite Attractant from Fungus-Infected Wood

Abstract

Field observations suggested that subterranean termites might follow a concentration gradient of attractive material to find decaying wood. Laboratory cultures of the brown rot fungus, Lenzites trabea Pers. ex. Fr., on pine blocks formed a material attractive to the eastern subterranean termites, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kol.) and R. virginicus Banks, and a Costa Rican termite, Nasutitermes columbicus (Holmgren). Such a potent termite attractant may be useful in termite surveys and control.