Effectiveness of commercial and experimental termite monitors for the desert subterranean termite Heterotermes aureus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) in southern Arizona.

In Arizona, the subterranean termite Heterotermes aureus (Snyder) (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) is the most economically important termite pest. We report here the evaluation of several commercial and experimental monitoring stations to capture and monitor H. aureus. In total, 12 monitoring stations were evaluated over two study periods. In 2001-2002, the commercial monitors Firstline and Termicon did not capture any H. aureus, whereas Termitrol did not capture significantly more termites than these two monitors. In contrast, three experimental Arizona Research Monitoring Stations (ARMS)--ARMS-PINE, ARMS-ASH, and ARMS-BBT--captured significantly more termites than Firstline and Termicon, and ARMS-BBT captured termites significantly more frequently than the commercial monitors. Similarly in 2003, the commercial monitors Firstline and Defender did not capture any H. aureus, whereas Extera did not capture significantly more termites than these two monitors. However, four monitor designs including the three most successful ARMS in 2001-2002 captured significantly more termites than Firstline and Defender, and ARMS-ASH captured termites significantly more often than the commercial monitors. On-ground ARMS monitors in general captured significantly more termites than commercial in-ground stations.