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Agriculture in tropical regions has been associated with the rapid expansion of leaf-cutting ants in clearings since an initial report in 1587. Numerous studies document higher population densities in human-simplified habitats than in natural ones, usually producing economical losses in agricultural...

Both wasps and bees are essential components for the diversity of tropical terrestrial systems. These insects, however, show an intense urbanization behavior, building their nests in the eaves of houses, wells, rooftops and other sites. Thus, the number of accidents caused by these insects has incre...

This study examines the effect of dry soil on tunnel construction by the Formosan subterranean termite, Cptotermes formosanus. Termites did not construct tunnels in dry soil in any of the treatments. Termites only constructed tunnels in moist areas in treatments where the soil was partially moistene...

This paper describes the results of an evaluation done on the buildings and trees at Nossa Senhora das Vitorias district, located in Maua, Sao Paulo, Brazil, in order to verify the biodeterioration caused by Heterotermes assu, an unusual subterranean termite, in which the records of infestations in ...

Termite control practices in South-East Asia differ in some important respects to those typically undertaken in USA, Japan and Australia. Whilst the basic principles are similar, differences in construction practices, type of building, termite species, and environmental conditions each contribute to...

Study on the efficacy of some soil termiticides available in Thailand market was made in order to evaluate their effectiveness to prevent the invasion of subterranean termites living underneath the buildings. Two methods representing construction practices widely used in the country were experimente...

Wood is a common structural material, used for building most homes and some commercial buildings in North America. This widespread use is due to wood’s desirable performance properties, abundance and cost effectiveness, ease of use, and favorable environmental attributes. However, wood can be degrad...

The need to progressively improve structural and urban pest-management training for state regulatory officials, pest-management professionals, and extension educators has led to the development and implementation of a limited number of university-based training schools in the United States. In Oklah...

Prevention of termite attack is preferable to remedial control. This can be accomplished through good architectural design, use of termite-resistant building materials, installation of physical or chemical barriers to prevent subterranean termite penetration, and possibly also installation of termit...

Rigid board insulations, including polystyrenes, polyisocyanurates and others, are used as standard building materials. In the past decade problems developed with subterranean termites entering structures, undetected, when rigid board insulation was installed as a continuous sheet beginning below gr...

Cockroaches require relatively warm conditions and in the UK are mainly confined to buildings. These insects are capable of carrying food-poisoning bacteria and causing allergies. To avoid these adverse health effects the risk of cockroach infestations in buildings needs to be minimised. This paper ...

Pest Management is an important environmental health function and the eradication of chronic pest infestations must be considered a priority in contributing to effective public health. This is especially true in a hospital environment where, in addition to aesthetic objections, the presence of infes...

In the European Union and the USA allergens of arthropods comprise a rising health problem. Atopic diseases resulting from insect or mite exposure cost several hundreds of millions British pounds per European country per year. This article is devoted to major sources of inhalant arthropod allergens,...

Pests are attracted to buildings for shelter, food and harbourage. They will take advantage of many different types of hiding places, from tiny crevices to large hollow spaces. The benefits of these hiding places to pests are two fold. Firstly concealment can allow quite large populations to develop...

Public pressures, and mandates by government agencies will require that we develop strategies that reduce exposure of humans to pesticides. These must be developed so that they manipulate populations to the extent that likelihood of infestation is reduced, or assuming that they will infest a structu...