Panic escape polyethism in worker and soldier Coptotermes formosanus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

Silencing of the phosphofructokinase gene impairs glycolysis and causes abnormal locomotion in the subterranean termite Reticulitermes chinensis Snyder

Phosphofructokinase (PFK) is a rate-limiting enzyme in glycolysis, but its linkage with locomotion in termites is not well understood, despite the demonstrated involvement of this gene in the locomotion of different animals. Here, we investigated the effect of the pfk gene on locomotion in the subterranean termite Reticulitermes chinensis Snyder through RNA interference and the use of an Ethovision XT tracking system. The knockdown of pfk resulted in significantly decreased expression of the pfk gene in different castes of termites. The pfk-silenced workers displayed higher levels of glucose but lower levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production and decreased activity of the PFK enzyme. Furthermore, abnormal locomotion (decreased distance travelled, velocity and acceleration but increased turn angle, angular velocity and meander) was observed in different castes of pfk-silenced termites. We found caste-specific locomotion among workers, soldiers and dealates. Additionally, soldiers and dealates showed higher velocity in the inner zone than in the wall zone, which is considered an effective behaviour to avoid predation. These findings reveal the close linkage between the pfk gene and locomotion in termites, which helps us to better understand the regulatory mechanism and caste specificity of social behaviours in social insects.

Escaping and repairing behaviors of the termite Odontotermes formosanus (Blattodea: Termitidae) in response to disturbance

The escaping behavior of termites has been documented under laboratory conditions; however, no study has been conducted in a field setting due to the difficulty of observing natural behaviors inside wood or structures (e.g., nests, tunnels, etc.). The black-winged termite, Odontotermes formosanus (Shiraki), is a subterranean macrotermitine species which builds extensive mud tubes on tree trunks. In the present study, 41 videos (totaling ∼2,700 min) were taken on 22 colonies/subcolonies of O. formosanus after their mud tubes were partially damaged by hand. In general, termites consistently demonstrated three phases of escape, including initiation (wandering near the mud-tube breach), individual escaping (single termites moving downward), and massive, unidirectional escaping flows (groups of termites moving downward). Downward moving and repairing were the dominant behavioral activities of individuals and were significantly more frequent than upward moving, turning/backward moving, or wandering. Interestingly, termites in escaping flows moved significantly faster than escaping individuals. Repairing behavior was observed shortly after the disturbance, and new mud tubes were preferentially constructed from the bottom up. When predators (i.e., ants) were present, however, termites stopped moving and quickly sealed the mud-tube openings by capping the broken ends. Our study provides an interesting example that documents an animal (besides humans) simultaneously carrying out pathway repairs and emergency evacuation without congestion.

Horizontal Transfer of Spinosad in Coptotermes formosanus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

Slow-acting and nonrepellent termiticides are possible candidates for nestmate to nestmate transfer called horizontal transfer. For the horizontal transfer study of spinosad, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki was released in sand and soil at 1, 25, and 50 ppm Entrust(®) for 1 h and then mixed with healthy untreated termites for 21 d at the ratio of 1:1. Donor and recipient termites began to contact and groom each other immediately after release. Mortality of termites was recorded at 1, 3, 7, and 14 d after treatment. Spinosad was more effectively transferred in sand than in soil. In sand at 25 and 50 ppm, significantly high mortality of donors and recipients was observed after 7 d. When termites were exposed to treated soil at day 21, all three concentrations resulted in significantly higher mortality compared to the control. In our laboratory study, spinosad was effectively transferred by donor termites. Transfer of spinosad depended on its bioavailability and concentration. Further study is needed to address its effects against C. formosanus under field conditions.