THE GASEOUS ENVIRONMENT OF MOUND COLONIES OF THE SUBTERRANEAN TERMITECOPTOTERMES LACTEUS (ISOPTERA, RHINOTERMITIDAE) BEFORE AND AFTER FEEDING ON MIREX-TREATED DECAYED WOOD BAIT BLOCKS

Carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, chloroform hydrogen, methane and nitr ous oxide emissions were collected from within several mound colonies of the subterranean termite Coptotermes lacteus (Fgottatt) and the sur rounding habitat of a dry sclerophyll forest in central Gippsland, Aus tralia, following treatment of the termite mounds with mirex-treated b ait blocks. All the mirex-treated colonies died within two weeks of co mmencing active feeding on the bait blocks. The flux measurements of t he gaseous emissions were calculated before, during and after treatmen t with the mirex-treated decayed wood bait blocks. Carbon dioxide, met hane and hydrogen all declined after colony death.