Pre-molt Fasting Stage and Molting Frequency of Workers in Reticulitermes speratus kyushuensis Morimoto, 1968

초록

Understanding molting process in subterranean termites is a critical step to implement successful control program as chitin synthesisinhibitor baits interfere molting process of termites. In the present study, we report detailed molting process in Reticulitermes speratuskyushuensis Morimoto, 1968 that foraging workers start fasting period 5 days after they were collected and finished their entire moltingprocess for the next 5 to 6 days. Ecdysis took less than an hour, specifically 9.2 ± 4.9 minutes from jack-knife posture to separationof the antenna and 36.6 ± 8.5 minutes from separation of the antenna to regain mobility. We believed relatively short time windowof molting process in R. speratus kyushuensis may affect lengthy colony elimination time.

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