THE EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE AND RELATIVE-HUMIDITY ON THE SURVIVAL AND WOOD CONSUMPTION OF THE WESTERN DRYWOOD TERMITE, INCISITERMES-MINOR (ISOPTER, KALOTERMITIDAE)

Nymphs of the western drywood termite, Incisitermes minor (Hagen), wer e kept at 12 different combinations of temperature and relative humidi ty (RH) for 34 weeks. Survival of the termites was low in all treatmen ts but was greatest at 15.6-degrees-C/75% RH and lowest at 32.2-degree s-C/32% RH. The greatest amount of wood consumed was at 15.60 and 26.7 -degrees-C at 75% RH. Wood consumption rates measured as mg wood consu med/termite day and mg wood consumed/g of termites/day were greatest a t 26.7-degrees and 32.2-degrees-C and 55 or 75% RH during the first 9 weeks. Feeding rates were lowest at 15.6% and 21.1-degrees-C. Mean wei ghts were greatest for termites kept at 55 or 75% RH and lowest for th ose kept at 32% RH. Weight loss was greatest for termites kept at 32% RH and at 26.7-degrees or 32.2-degrees-C and least for termites kept a t 75% RH. Wood utilization was significantly higher at 32.2-degrees an d 26.7-degrees-C and 55 or 75% RH. High mortality and the poor conditi on of most of the termites within the treatments after week 11 resulte d in nonsignificant differences in wood consumption and utilization, a nd in weight loss; and nonsignificant differences in mean weight after week 17.