SUSCEPTIBILITY OF CONDITIONED SOFTWOOD BAITS TO COPTOTERMES SPP (ISOPTERA, RHINOTERMITIDAE)

Four field bioassays were conducted using 2 species of Australian subt erranean termites, Coptotermes acinaciformis and C. lacteus. Araucaria cunninghamii (hoop pine) blocks decayed using 14 fungi for 4 weeks an d for 10 weeks were subsequently conditioned using dry heating, freezi ng or moist heating, and then exposed to termites. Blocks decayed by G loeophyllum abietinum, Trametes lilacino-gilva, Schizophyllum commune and Rigidoporus undatus and subsequently oven dried, were attacked the most. Oven drying generally enhanced termite feeding responses in the se 2 field bioassay.