Termite pests and their control in urban Brazil

摘要

A survey was developed on the inspection data sheets of 500 buildings in the city of Sao Paulo, in the southeast region of Brazil. Infestation by the introduced subterranean termite, Coptotermes havilandi predominates and aerial nests were found in 42,7% of the infested buildings. The urban infestation by C. havilandi is analyzed as a dynamic system in the complexity of the urban areas in Brazil, influenced by building patterns, urban trees, biological peculiarities of the termite, and control measures. The termite interacts largely with the urban ecosystem and it is necessary to understand this dynamic system for each specific infestation case in order to be able to choose the right control strategy. [References: 14]