| Postelectrotermes militaris | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Blattodea |
| Infraorder: | Isoptera |
| Family: | Kalotermitidae |
| Genus: | Postelectrotermes |
| Species: | P. militaris |
| Binomial name | |
| Postelectrotermes militaris (Desneux, 1904) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Postelectrotermes militaris, the up-country tea termite, is a species of drywood termite of the genus Postelectrotermes . It is native to India and Sri Lanka. [1] It is a serious pest of tea.
It is one of major plant pest that attack wide range of economically important plants such as Acacia decurrens , Camellia sinensis , Casuarina equisetifolia , Cedrus sp., Cinnamomum camphora , Cryptomeria japonica , Erythrina subumbrans , Eucalyptus robusta , Grevillea robusta , Stenocarpus salignus , and Tephrosia vogelii . It mainly affects roots and stem parts, and sometimes to whole plant. [2]
Alates are rare in P. militaris colony. They invade bushes and mainly found in heartwood, never consume on sapwood. [2]
Termites can be removed by crop sanitation and pruning methods. Cultivating disease-resistant crop varieties is also practiced on tea plantations. Besides that, usage of natural pests and pathogens is not effective. Some soil-borne entomopathogens, for example entomopathogenic nematodes such as Heterorhabditis sp., Steinernema carpocapsae and Steinernema feltiae can be effective in natural areas up to some extent. [2] [3]
Termites are a group of detritophagous eusocial insects which consume a wide variety of decaying plant material, generally in the form of wood, leaf litter, and soil humus. They are distinguished by their moniliform antennae and the soft-bodied and typically unpigmented worker caste for which they have been commonly termed "white ants"; however, they are not ants, to which they are distantly related. About 2,972 extant species are currently described, 2,105 of which are members of the family Termitidae.
Chrysopogon zizanioides, commonly known as vetiver and khus, is a perennial bunchgrass of the family Poaceae.
The Formosan termite is a species of termite local to southern China and introduced to Taiwan, Japan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Hawaii, and the continental United States.
The Sciaridae are a family of flies, commonly known as dark-winged fungus gnats. Commonly found in moist environments, they are known to be a pest of mushroom farms and are commonly found in household plant pots. This is one of the least studied of the large Diptera families, probably due to the small size of these insects and the similarity among species.
Neotermes greeni, is a species of drywood termite of the genus Neotermes. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. It closely resembles Postelectrotermes militaris. It is a minor pest of tea in Sri Lanka, and major pest of mango in India.
Kalotermes jepsoni, is a species of damp wood termite of the genus Kalotermes. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. It usually prefers to live in dead and decaying wood, but sometimes can be seen in live wood. It is a major pest of tea in Sri Lanka.
Glyptotermes ceylonicus, is a species of damp wood termite of the genus Glyptotermes. It is endemic to high elevations Sri Lanka. It is a pest of dead and decaying wood of Hevea, Theobroma, Ficus, and Acacia species.
The Low-country tea termite,, also known as Low country live wood termite, is a species of damp wood termite of the genus Glyptotermes. It is endemic to high elevations Sri Lanka. It is a major pest of tea in low country area of Sri Lanka.
The domestic drywood termite,, is a species of dry wood termite of the genus Cryptotermes. It is native to Malaysia, Borneo, Australia, China and Sri Lanka. It is mainly a house termite and also found in cultivated areas. The presence of this termite can be identified by small heaps of tiny egg-like pellets of excreta. It is a larger termite species, with 3.25-5.90mm in soldiers. It is considered as a minor pest in Australia, but is a serious pest causing wood damage in other parts of the world.
Coptotermes ceylonicus, is a species of subterranean termite of the genus Coptotermes. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. It is a common wood destroying termites, which damage to logs, woodens structures of both natural and man-made. It is a pest of many economically valuable trees such as Hevea brasiliensis and Camellia sinensis, and also an inhabitant of Anacardium occidentale, Cocos nucifera, Ficus fergusonii, Gliricidia sepium, Grevillea robusta, Madhuca longifolia, Tamarindus indica and Theobroma cacao.
Coptotermes gaurii, is a species of subterranean termite of the genus Coptotermes. It is native to South India and Sri Lanka. It is a serious pest of tea in Sri Lanka.
Heterotermes ceylonicus is a species of subterranean termite of the family Rhinotermitidae. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. It is a wood destroying termites, which damage to logs, wooden structures of both natural and man-made such as tree stumps of Gravellia and Hevea brasiliensis, and tea plantations. It can be also found in mounds of Hypotermes obscuriceps.
Heterotermes indicola, is a species of subterranean termite of the genus Heterotermes. It is native to tropical India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka but has extended its range into the subtropics and warm temperate areas of the Himalayan foothills to altitudes of about 2,000 m (6,600 ft). It causes damage to timber in buildings and is one of the most destructive termites in urban and agricultural areas in the world. Soldiers are about 4.1-4.9mm long. Extracts of garlic and Calotropis procera are known to have termiticidal effects on H. indicola.
Odontotermes ceylonicus, is a species of termite of the genus Odontotermes. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. Though nests in the ground, they never construct termitaria. It attacks many dead, diseased rotten plant roots and wooden buildings. It is a major pest of sugarcane and a secondary pest of tea.
Odontotermes horni, is a species of termite of the genus Odontotermes. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. It attacks many dead, decaying trees and fertilized soil. Though nests on ground, they do not construct a termitaria. It is a pest of tea, coconut and sugarcane.
Microtermes obesi, the wheat termite, is a small species of termite of the genus Microtermes. It is native to India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Vietnam. It is a major pest of wheat and minor pest of sugarcane.
Hospitalitermes monoceros, is a species of nasute termite of the genus Hospitalitermes. It was originally considered to be endemic to Sri Lanka, but was also found in India in 2013. It is an obligate lichen feeder. It is recorded from Cassia multijuga and Ficus religiosa trees and is a pest of tea.
Xylosandrus compactus is a species of ambrosia beetle. Common names for this beetle include black twig borer, black coffee borer, black coffee twig borer and tea stem borer. The adult beetle is dark brown or black and inconspicuous; it bores into a twig of a host plant and lays its eggs, and the larvae create further tunnels through the plant tissues. These beetles are agricultural pests that damage the shoots of such crops as coffee, tea, cocoa and avocado.
Glyptotermes is a genus of termite in the family Kalotermitidae. With 127 species worldwide as of 2013, is the family's most speciose genus, and the second most speciose in the New World after Cryptotermes.