Infestation of Subterranean Termite, Heterotermes Assu (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae): a Case Study in Mauá City, SãO Paulo, Brazil

Abstract:
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 urban areas and information on their biology and control are scarce. The diagnosis was carried out through the inspection of structural timber and wood components of 497 houses and an external and an internal analysis on 289 trees and 3 palm trees, by a team which performed a detailed examination with the purpose of identifying signals of attack caused by these insects and/or to estimate the intensity of the attack on trees by a non-destructive method. This data permitted to identify the spatial distribution on the occurrences of infested buildings and trees in this district, in relation to the age of construction, and the influence of a landscape area - a cemetery.