Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Multifaceted evaluation of tenebenal as a new termite insecticide

  • Original Research Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Tenebenal, as a new insecticide, with a novel action mode, has shown an excellent insecticidal effect, but there is no relevant report about how it can effectively control termite colonies. In this study, we evaluated the insecticidal effects of tenebenal at different concentrations by laboratory study, including the contact toxicity, stomach toxicity, and other insecticide effects of Reticulitermes flaviceps. The results showed that tenebenal had no repellent effect on R. flaviceps in concentrations ranging from 0 to 32 ppm. LC50 and LC90 of tenebenal on R. flaviceps were 3.752 and 8.278 ppm when treating termites with tenebenal for 24 h, respectively. The survival rate and food consumption of R. flaviceps significantly decreased with the increase of the tenebenal concentration from 1 to 8 ppm, and there was no significant difference in concentration between 8 and 16 ppm. Tenebenal had inhibitive effects on particle transfer, tunneling, carcass-burying, and cannibalism behavior of R. flaviceps with concentrations from 1 to 16 ppm. R. flaviceps are exposed to sand treatment with 16, 32, and 64 ppm of tenebenal for 1 h, and the mortality for both donor and recipient is 36%, 77%, and 100% on day 3, respectively. These results show that tenebenal has potential insecticidal effects and could be a new termiticide for termite control.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

Availability of data and materials

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

References

  • Ahmad F, Fouad H, Liang SY, Hu Y, Mo JC (2021) Termites and Chinese agricultural system: applications and advances in integrated termite management and chemical control. Insect Sci 28:2–20

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Arteaga-Crespo Y, Ureta-Leones D, García-Quintana Y, Montalván M, Gilardoni G, Malagón O (2021) Preliminary predictive model of termiticidal and repellent activities of essential oil extracted from Ocotea quixos Leaves against Nasutitermes corniger (Isoptera: Termitidae) using one-factor response Surface methodology design. Agronomy Basel 11:1249

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baudouin G, Bech N, Bagnères AG, Dedeine F (2018) Spatial and genetic distribution of a north American termite, Reticulitermes flavipes, across the landscape of Paris. Urban Ecosyst 21:751–764

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhatta D, Henderson G (2016) Horizontal transfer of spinosad in Coptotermes formosanus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). J Econ Entomol 109:1813–1818

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bonmatin JM, Giorio C, Girolami V, Goulson D, Kreutzweiser DP, Krupke C, Liess M, Long E, Marzaro M, Mitchell EAD, Noome DA, Simon-Delso N, Tapparo A (2015) Environmental fate and exposure; neonicotinoids and fipronil. Environ Environ Sci Pollut Res 22:35–67

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chiu CI, Chuang YH, Liang WR, Yeh HT, Yang HY, Tsai MJ, Spomer N, Li HF (2021) Area-population control of fungus-growing termite, Odontotermes formosanus, using hexaflumuron durable baits. Pest Manag Sci 78:104–115

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chouvenc T, Robert A, Sémon E, Bordereau C (2012) Burial behaviour by dealates of the termite Pseudacanthotermes spiniger (Termitidae, Macrotermitinae) induced by chemical signals from termite corpses. Insect Soc 59:119–125

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cornelius ML, Osbrink WL (2010) Effect of soil type and moisture availability on the foraging behavior of the Formosan subterranean termite (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). J Econ Entomol 103:799–807

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cremer S, Armitage SA, Schmid-Hempel P (2007) Social immunity. Curr Biol 17:693–702

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis HE, Meconcelli S, Radek R, McMahon DP (2018) Termites shape their collective behavioural response based on stage of infection. Sci Rep 8:14433

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Guan YQ, Chen JM, Li ZB, Feng QL, Liu JM (2011) Immobilisation of bifenthrin for termite control. Pest Manag Sci 67:244–251

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Iqbal N, Evans TA (2018) Evaluation of fipronil and imidacloprid as bait active ingredients against fungus-growing termites (Blattodea: Termitidae: Macrotermitinae). Bull Entomol Res 108:14–22

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Katsuta H, Nomura M, Wakita T, Daido H, Kobayashi Y, Kawahara A, Banba S (2019) Discovery of broflanilide, a novel insecticide. J Pestic Sci 44:120–128

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Ku SJ, Jeon W, Su NY, Lee SH (2012) Analysis of the responses of termites to tunnel irregularity. Insect Soc 59:549–555

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lees RS, Ambrose P, Williams J, Morgan J, Praulins G, Ingham VA, Williams CT, Logan RAE, Ismail HM, Malone D (2020) Tenebenal: a meta-diamide with potential for use as a novel mode of action insecticide for public health. Malaria J 19:398

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li GH, Liu L, Lei CL, Huang QY (2015) A trade-off between antipredatory behavior and pairing competition produced by male-male tandem running in three Reticulitermes species. Insect Sci 22:560–568

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lima J, Costa-Leonardo A (2012) Tunnelling behaviour of the Asian subterranean termite in heterogeneous soils: presence of cues in the foraging area. Anim Behav 83:1269–1278

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu L, Li GH, Sun PD, Lei CL, Huang QY (2015) Experimental verification and molecular basis of active immunization against fungal pathogens in termites. Sci Rep 5:15106

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Liu L, Zhao XY, Tang QB, Lei CL, Huang QY (2019) The mechanisms of social immunity against fungal infections in eusocial insects. Toxins 11:244

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Mburu DM, Maniania NK, Hassanali A (2013) Comparison of volatile blends and nucleotide sequences of two beauveria bassiana lsolates of different virulence and repellency towards the termite Macrotermes michealseni. J Chem Ecol 39:101–108

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Michael T, William L, Coby S, Edward LV (2010) Metabolism of Imidacloprid in Workers of Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). Ann Entomol Soc Am 13:84–95

    Google Scholar 

  • Park S, Lee JY, Park H, Song G, Lim W (2020) Bifenthrin induces developmental immunotoxicity and vascular malformation during zebrafish embryogenesis. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 228:108671

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Peters BC, Fitzgerald CJ (2003) Field evaluation of the bait toxicant chlorfluazuron in eliminating Coptotermes acinaciformis (Froggatt) (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). J Econ Entomol 96:1828–1831

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ramakrishnan R, Suiter DR, Nakatsu CH, Humber RA, Bennett GW (1999) Imidacloprid-enhanced Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) susceptibility to the entomopathogen Metarhizium anisopliae. J Econ Entomol 92:1125–1132

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rust MK, Saran RK (2006) Toxicity, repellency, and transfer of chlorfenapyr against western subterranean termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). J Econ Entomol 99:864–872

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rust MK, Su NY (2012) Managing social insects of urban importance. Annu Rev Entomol 57:355–375

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sabin LB, Mora MA (2022) Ecological risk assessment of the effects of neonicotinoid insecticides on northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) in the South Texas Plains Ecoregion. Integr Environ Assess Manag 18:488–499

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Scharf ME (2015) Termites as targets and models for biotechnology. Annu Rev Entomol 60:77–102

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shen N, Li Y, Leviticus K, Chang XL, Tang T, Cui L, Han ZJ, Zhao CQ (2021) Effect of broflanilide on the phytophagous mite Tetranychus urticae and the predatory mite Typhlodromips swirskii. Pest Manag Sci 77:2964–2970

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Snetselaar J, Rowland MW, Manunda BJ, Kisengwa EM, Small GJ, Malone DJ, Mosha FW, Kirby MJ (2021) Efficacy of indoor residual spraying with broflanilide (TENEBENAL), a novel meta-diamide insecticide, against pyrethroid-resistant anopheline vectors in northern Tanzania: An experimental hut trial. PLoS ONE 16:e0248026

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Subekti N, Yoshimura T, Rokhman F, Mastur Z (2015) Potential for subterranean termite attack against five bamboo species in correlation with chemical components. Proc Environ Sci 28:783–788

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sun Q, Zhou X (2013) Corpse management in social insects. Int J Biol Sci 9:313–321

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Suppo C, Robinet C, Perdereau E, Andrieu D, Bagneres AG (2018) Potential spread of the invasive North American termite, Reticulitermes flavipes, and the impact of climate warming. Biol Invasions 20:905–922

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wan Umar WAS, Ab Majid AH (2020) Efficacy of minimum application of chlorfluazuron baiting to control urban subterranean termite populations of Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann) (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae). Insects 11:569

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Wang C, Henderson G (2013) Evidence of formosan subterranean termite group size and associated bacteria in the suppression of Entomopathogenic bacteria, Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis and thuringiensis. Ann Entomol Soc Am 106:454–462

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang C, Henderson G (2014) Clay preference and particle transport behavior of Formosan subterranean termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae): A laboratory study. Insect Sci 21:785–795

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wang C, Henderson G, Gautam BK, Chen X (2014) Lethal and sublethal effects of lufenuron on the Formosan subterranean termite (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). J Econ Entomol 107:1573–1581

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wazir S, Shad SA (2022) Development of fipronil resistance, fitness cost, cross-resistance to other insecticides, stability, and risk assessment in Oxycarenus hyalinipennis (Costa). Sci Total Environ 803:150026

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Xu H, Zhu Q, Hu W, Kim K, Lei C, Xiang Y, Huang Q (2019) Impacts of different environmental factors on tunnelling behaviour of the subterranean termite Odontotermes formosanus (Shiraki). Ethol Ecol Evol 31:231–239

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zaluski R, Kadri SM, Alonso DP, Martins Ribolla PE, de Oliveira OR (2015) Fipronil promotes motor and behavioral changes in honey bees (Apis mellifera) and affects the development of colonies exposed to sublethal doses. Environ Toxicol Chem 34:1062–1069

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zapata N, Smagghe G (2010) Repellency and toxicity of essential oils from the leaves and bark of Laurelia sempervirens and Drimys winteri against Tribolium castaneum. Ind Crop Prod 32:405–410

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou JC, Bai Y, Zhong H, Li GH (2021) Effect of nitenpyram on the control of Reticulitermes flaviceps. Int J Trop Insect Sci 41:471–477

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank the anonymous reviewers for providing valuable comments on earlier drafts of this manuscript. Thank Prof Crop Co., Ltd for providing tenebenal stock solution for this study.

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31601891).

Author information

Author notes

  1. Jiachang Zhou and Shiying Liu contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hubei Key Laboratory of Edible Wild Plants Conservation and Utilization, Hubei Normal University, Huangshi, Hubei, China

    Jiachang Zhou, Shiying Liu, Yuting Yin & Ganghua Li

  2. Hubei Engineering Research Center of Typical Wild Vegetable Breeding and Comprehensive Utilization Technology, Hubei Normal University, Huangshi, Hubei, China

    Jiachang Zhou, Shiying Liu, Yuting Yin & Ganghua Li

  3. Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China

    Bao Jia & Daoxiong Zhang

  4. Nanning Institute of Termite Control, Nanning, Guangxi, China

    Bao Jia

Authors
  1. Jiachang Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shiying Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yuting Yin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Bao Jia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Daoxiong Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Ganghua Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

GL and JZ conceived the study. JZ, SL, and YY carried out the experiment. JZ analyzed the data and wrote the initial draft. JZ, BJ, DZ, and GL has revised the initial draft. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ganghua Li.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval

Not applicable.

Consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

42690_2022_905_MOESM1_ESM.jpg

Supplementary file1 Fig. S1 Repellent activity bioassay arena. The filter paper on the right side of the petri dish was added with sterile water as the control area, and the left side was added with different concentrations of tenebenal as the treatment area. (JPG 1288 KB)

42690_2022_905_MOESM2_ESM.jpg

Supplementary file2 Fig. S2 Stomach toxicity bioassay arena. A clay block and two filter papers (tenebenal -treated or untreated) were placed on the substrate. (JPG 1158 KB)

42690_2022_905_MOESM3_ESM.jpg

Supplementary file3 Fig. S3 Carcass-burying and cannibalism behavior was inhibited, when dead termites appear on the substrate or filter paper. (JPG 3191 KB)

42690_2022_905_MOESM4_ESM.jpg

Supplementary file4 Fig. S4 Particle transport behavior was not inhibited, when sand, paper, and soil appeared on the lid surface. (JPG 2935 KB)

42690_2022_905_MOESM5_ESM.png

Supplementary file5 Fig. S5 Insecticide transfer bioassay arena. (A) Workers were cultured in filter paper with 0.2% neutral red. (B) Workers were exposed to tenebenal on the sand for 1 h. (C) 10 red-dyed and 20 undyed workers were cultured to 90 mm Petri dishes that contained wet clean 90 mm filter paper. (PNG 29170 KB)

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhou, J., Liu, S., Yin, Y. et al. Multifaceted evaluation of tenebenal as a new termite insecticide. Int J Trop Insect Sci 42, 3807–3814 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-022-00905-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-022-00905-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation