The influence of fipronil on Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) feeding beyond treated plots.

A small-plot field trial was conducted to examine the area of influence of fipronil at incremental distances away from treated plots on the Harrison Experimental Forest near Saucier, MS. Small treated (water and fipronil) plots were surrounded by untreated wooden boards in an eight-point radial pattern, and examined for evidence of termite feeding every 60 d for 1 yr after treatment. Circular areas of 0, 0.28, 1.13, 2.55, 4.52, 7.07, and 10.18 m2 around the treated plots were installed to evaluate feeding damage by termites on the boards. The relationship between feeding damage to boards and area for each time interval was examined by using an exponential increase model. For both treatments and controls in nearly all periods examined, feeding was suppressed in the boards nearest to the treated plots, but increased exponentially as the area increased. Beginning 4 mo after treatment, treatment plots had lower proportions of boards with termite feeding evidence than control plots. Reduction in feeding was the only influence of fipronil observed beyond the treated plots.