An AREA-WIDE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM for the FORMOSAN SUBTERRANEAN TERMITE in the FRENCH QUARTER, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

Abstract:
The Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanusShiraki, is a serious pest in several parts of the world and is one of the most destructive insects in Louisiana, USA. A pilot test was begun in 1998 to determine the effectiveness of area-wide management on this insect and to reduce its densities in a 15-block area of New Orleans’ French Quarter. The pilot test is a cooperative effort between the LSU Agricultural Center, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, and New Orleans Mosquito and Termite Control Board. All but two of 323 properties in a contiguous 15-block area in the French Quarter were treated using commercially available baits or non-repellent termiticides selected by property owners and applied by professional pest control operators. Alate density was sampled during the flight season in 1998, 1999, and 2000 using glue boards hung near lamps on street lights. Foraging activity was monitored monthly beginning in January 1999 by determining the number of in-ground stations with termites. In 2000 alate density in the treated area was reduced by 30 % compared to the surrounding area. Additionally, in 2000 the percentage of in-ground stations with termites was 50% lower in the treated area compared to the surrounding area. Similar data were also obtained in 2001. Continued treatment and monitoring are required to determine the extent of and the long-term effects of the area-wide management program.