Inter- and Intra-Colony Agonistic Behavior of Native Subterranean Termites, Reticulitermes flavipes and Reticulitermes virginicus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

摘要

Behavior, mortality, and consumption of cellulose by Reticulitermes flavipes and R. virginicus from South Carolina were evaluated in the laboratory during encounters of nestmates and non-nestmates. Groups of 25 and 100 workers of each species from three colonies were paired in nine combinations involving factors that could induce agonistic behavior, viz. different species, temporal separation between groups within a colony, placement time of termites in an arena, and use of dyes to mark termites. Significant agonistic behavior, as measured by high mortality, occurred only between species. Agonistic behavior and mortality were lower between colonies within a species. Dyes did not significantly affect agonistic interactions or mortality. Consumption decreased with increased mortality.