Termites in Europe

Modern mapping of a wood pest

A.-G. Bagnres, S. Dronnet, M. Kutnik & P. Uva

Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de lInsecte

CNRS UMR 6035, Universit de Tours, France
5th COST E22 Workshop, Madrid

Termites in Europe
! General biology of Reticulitermes termites
! Current situation
! Methods of species identification
! Geographical distribution of species
- natural and urban settings
- migration and introduction of species
- case of a new species in Europe
- impact on treatment methods
! Termite biology and control
5th COST E22 Workshop, Madrid

General biology of Reticulitermes termites

Study of Reticulitermes termites is difficult because of their living habits

Reticulitermes is a cryptic subterranean genera
Colonies contain different castes
Foraging may occur at great distances from the nest

Mixtures of colony types

REPRODUCTIVES

- simple family
wingedheaded
primary by primary reproductives
sexuals with neotenic reproductives
- inbred families

primary

- colony with multiple unrelated reproductives

nymphs

eggs

regressive
molts

larvaes
workers

soldiers
5th COST E22 Workshop, Madrid

neotenic
(brachyptera)

eggs

neotenic
(aptera)
Zaffagnini & Ferrari

Current situation

Termites play a highly beneficial role in

forest ecosytems.
In urban zones termites are
highly destructive pests causing an
increasing amount of costly structural damage

Traditional control techniques

- resistant w oods,
- chem ically treated w ood,
- specially adapted architectures
w ere replaced by injection of neurotoxins into w ood,
ground, and w alls w ithout great regard for environm ental
consequences.
Development

of new treatment methods poses

major problems since it requires:
New strategies are now being tested and produced by
public and private laboratories:
- accurate species identification
- new term iticides,
- determination of the genetic structure of the colony and populations
- new form ulations.
- application of an effective termiticide inside the nest
5th COST E22 Workshop, Madrid

Methods used for species identification

Tool taxonomy:
1 - Morphology
Problem: Reticulitermes termites cannot be identified by visual examination with
the naked eye and are difficult to identify using mangnifying glasses.
Few morphological features allow differentiation (post-clypeus in workers,
mandibules in soldiers)

For exemple: post-clypeus

The santonensis type

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The other species

Works of JL Clment

Morphology (cont d)

Post-clypeus
Species
R. santonensis
R. flavipes
R. sp.
R. balkanensis
R. lucifugus
R. l. corsicus
R. banyulensis
R. grassei

Top view
Flat
Curved
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+

Flat
+
+

Tibia
Side view
Intermediate

Curved

Yellow

Dark

+
+
+
+

+
+
+

+
+

+
+

+
+

R. santonensis
SANTO

R. flavipes
R. lucifugus
FLAVI

LUCIF

R. l. corsicus
CORS

R. grassei
R. banyulensis
GRASSEI

BANYUL

R. sp.
SP

R. balkanensis
BALKA

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2 - Analytic chemistry

We use the same identification tools as termites themselves, i.e.,

cuticular compounds. Cuticular compounds are lipids found on the
surface of the exoskeleton that allow insects to recognize:
"

species

"

colonies

"

castes

...
They are long-chain hydrocarbons
that can be extracted using organic solvents
and analyzed by chromatography.
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Works of Bagnres and col.

We have also used frontal gland secretions from soldiers for

species identification.

R. lucifugus

R. santonensis

R. l. corsicus

R. flavipes

R. banyulensis

R. sp

R. grassei

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R. balkanensis

A Quintanas thesis

3 - Mitochondrial DNA (DNAm)

mitochondrion

Maternal lineage can be used as a taxonomic tool.

Animal cell

Although there is no variation between individuals in a colony,

mDNA allows unambiguous identification of species.
It can be used to create phylogenetic trees (origin and
classification of species).

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Phylogenetic trees of Reticulitermes in Europe

a

R bk-D io

67
98

88 Rb-Bez

R l-Kon

100

R l-Ank

96
99

R sp-B ag

97
92

Rlc-Cor

R spe

(2)

100

(4) 100

Rf
55

Rbk-Dio

R g-F or

Rl-Kon
94

R g-A d

100
(3)

81

R l-Cdm
R l-Via
R lc-C or

(4)

99

Rs-Ole, Rs-Tc

R b-B ez
R b V id

94

Rl-Cdm
Rl-Via

(3)

R sp-Sa, R sp-G om

70

Rg-For
Rg-Ad

R sp-D om

100

0.1

Rb Vid

(2) 82

R cly

69
(1) 71

Rl-Ank

81

(1*)

92

94

R s-O le, Rs-Tc

Rf

Rcly

Rsp-Bag
Rsp-Dom
Rsp-Sa, Rsp-Gom

Rspe

Cf

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Rb: R. banyulensis
Rg: R. grassei
Rl: R. lucifugus
Rlc: R. lucifugus corsicus
Rs: R. santonensis

Cf

Rbk: R; balkanensis
Rl-Kon & Ank: Turquie
Rcly: R. clypeatus (Israel)
Rsp: R. urbis
Rspe: R. speratus

P Uvas thesis

Mitochondrial DNA has also been used to determine the origin of

subspecies as was the case for R. lucifugus corsicus

64

Lucif V
Lucif Bib
Lucif Cgd
Lucif C

100

Lucif Tdl

Lucif G

Lucif Fo

89Lucif Anz
Lucif Sab

Corsicus

Lucif Cfb

95

Lucif Cfc
Lucif Grf

100

Lucif Fo
Lucif Tdl

87

Corsicus

Copto
10
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P Uvas thesis

4 - Microsatellites (genetic fingerprint)

Genetic analysis of the Parisian termite (R. santonensis)
correlated with the chemical signature analysis
Microsatellite

Cyticular
hydrocarbons

markers

Highly polymorphic

Identification

Specific chemical signature

Variations between and within colonies

Involvement in colony recognition

of the origin of individuals

Codominants, neutral

5 microsatellites isolated from R. flavipes

Locus

Colony 1

Colony 2

Rf11.2

Rf15.2
Rf6.1

Example of al polyacrylamide gel showing

different allele patterns
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S Dronnets thesis

Analysis sampling

Paris

Numbers of infested
buildings since 1969
(from S.M.A.S.H.)

Colony 5
Tours
at 240 km from
Paris

Colony 1
Clichy

1 km

Colony 2
Tronchet

Colony 3
Ivry

7 km

Colony 4
Crteil
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1 50
50 100
100 200
200 300
300 - 400

Chemical discrimination

2,5
5

Factor 3 (14.10%)

Tours5
1,5

5
5
5

5
1

5
1

Paris Clichy

0,5

4 1

5
3

3
3

-0,5

1 2

4 1

3
5

1
1
1

4
1

2
2

2
2
2

42

2
4

Paris
Tronchet

-1,5

4
4

Ivry
3

-2,5
-3

-2

Crteil
-1

Factor 1 (41.60%)
PCA plot using relative proportions of CHs (90% confidence ellipses)
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Genetic discrimination

Clichy

Tronchet
1-20

1-1

2-14
1-4 1-16

1-171-19
1-13
1-6
1-12 1-3

2-12 2-20
1-9

1-2
1-11

1-7
1-18 1-10

1-14
2-10
1-5
1-8
2-6
1-15 2-18 2-13
2-11
2-7 2-16
2-9

2-8 2-3
2-19
2-4
2-2

2-15

Tours

2-17
2-5

5-7

4-16

2-1

4-1

5-19
5-10 5-4
5-17
5-11 5-6
5-8

3-6

4-20

3-3
4-18

5-5
5-16
5-18
5-14 5-15

5-20

4-4

5-13
5-9
5-3

4-5

Crteil

5-2 5-1 5-12

4-2
3-18

3-16

3-1
3-10

4-13

3-4 3-2
3-143-11
3-17
3-8

Ivry

3-15
3-12

4-19
3-9
3-73-5
4-14
4-17

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4-6
4-10
4-15
4-7
4-12
4-9
4-8
4-11

NJ tree on distances among 100 individuals

4-3

0.1

Geographical distribution
In natural settings

R. santonensis

R. lucifugus

R. grassei

R. balkanensis

R. banyulensis
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R.(l.) corsicus

Dispersion of species

Reticulitermes santonensis
R. grassei
R. banyulensis
R. lucifugus

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A new species in Europe: Reticulitermes urbis

P Uvas thesis

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Reticulitermes
urbis

Impact on treatment methods

Each species displays its own characteristic:
colonial behavior
reaction to the control technique
physiology
geographical distribution
etc
Extermination can be difficult for some species such as
R. grassei because of its complex evolutive status (M

Kutniks thesis)

Some species adapt well to urban settings

such as R. santonensis
and R. urbis...
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For example...

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Termites are structural pest in Europe

The estimated cost of termite
treatment is 200 millions Euros
per year.
If added the cost of repairs,
replacement or destruction of
structures, furniture, walls and
other woodwork, the annual cost
in France would be around 500
millions Euros a year.
Within 5 years, the yearly
turnover of termite control
companies in the European
community will reach at least
1 billion Euros per year.

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City of Domne, France

Conclusion: Termite biology and control

Significant breakthroughs :
- taxonomy
- genetics
- physiology
- molecular biology
- chemical ecology
- ethology

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In the near future:

- new methods (traps, contact toxins,
attractants, bacteria, fungal mycotoxins,
new physical barriers, nematodes)
- new products (growth regulators,
anti-hormone agents, anti-enzyme agents, receptor blockers,
new biocides, protozoaires, fungicides)

Collaborations and funding for this research work:

CNRS
Mairie de Domne
Mairie de Paris
St Dow Agrosciences
St Bayer
Contrats ADEME
DDE13
Association des Villes pour la lutte contre les Insectes Xylophages
et le Termite en particulier
Norht Carolina State University (E. Vargo)

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Thank you
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