An areawide population management project for the invasive eastern subterranean termite (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) in a low-income community in Santiago, Chile

Abstract

An areawide project was carried out in a low-income community of Cerro Navia in Santiago, Chile, to manage the population of the invasive Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) that has been causing severe damage to homes in the past 20 yr. With the help of the municipality government and residents, baits containing the chitin synthesis inhibitor hexaflumuron were applied in three town blocks of a six-block area in January 2001. By April 2002, most of the termite activity in the baited town block was eliminated. A Bait Impact Index demonstrated that more baits applied near a monitoring station significantly reduced R. flavipes activity in the station. Following the successful reduction of termite activity in the three baited blocks, hexaflumuron baits were applied in the entire six-block area in 2003-2004. Since May 2005, R. flavipes has not been detected in the test area. The areawide approach significantly reduced the cost of bait application for managing the R. flavipes populations in the community. The project serves as a model of adapting an advanced but often costly technology for use in developing counties that otherwise would not be able to afford it.