Skip to main content
Log in

Diurnal activity rhythms of the subterranean termiteAnacanthotermes vagans (Hagen) under laboratory and field conditions of the Kuwait desert

  • Original Articles
  • Published:
International Journal of Biometeorology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Daily foraging activity ofAnacanthotermes vagans was tested using toilet paper rolls as bait. The highest activity was recorded at midnight and during the hours of the early morning in both summer and winter seasons. In spring the time of highest activity was reversed to take place at midday, afternoon and early evening. Aktograph records in the laboratory demonstrated that individual workers are active most of the day and not naturally entrianed by photoperiods. Daily activity of groups of 10 workers was not statistically different from that of individual workers.

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

Access this article

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andrews EA, Middleton AR (1911) Circadian activity of nasutes. Circ Johns Hopkins Univ 2:26–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Applin DG, Clodsley-Thompson JL, Constentinou C (1987) Molecular and physiological mechanisms in chronobiology—their manifestation in desert ecosystem. J Arid Environ 13:187–197

    Google Scholar 

  • Bodot P (1967) Cycles saisonniers d' activité collective des termites des savanes de Basse cote-d'Ivoire. Insectes Sociaux 14:359–388

    Google Scholar 

  • Bouillon A (1964) In: Etudes sur les termites africaines. UNESCO, Leopoldville

    Google Scholar 

  • Collins NM (1981) The role of termites in the decomposition of wood and leaf litter in the southern Guinea savannah of Nigeria. Oecologia 51:389–399

    Google Scholar 

  • Constantinou C (1980) Entrainment of the circadian rhythm of activity in desert and forest inhabiting scorptions. J Arid Environ 3:133–139

    Google Scholar 

  • Howse PE (1970) Termites: A study in social behaviour. Hutchimson University Library, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Khogali HS (1983) On the feeding and foraging activity ofOdontotermes sp. andMicrotermes spp. in two different localities in Central Sudan. Thesis, University of Khartoum, Sudan

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore D, Rankin MA (1985) Circadian locomotory rhythms in individual honeybees. Physiol Entomol 10:191–197

    Google Scholar 

  • Nutting WL (1979) Termite flight periods: Strategies for predator avoidance. Sociobiology 4:141–151

    Google Scholar 

  • Omo Malaka SL, Leuthold RH (1986) Mechanisms of recruitment for the retrieval of food inAmitermes evuncifer Silvestri (Isotera: Termitidae: Termitinae) Insect Sci Applic 7:707–721

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheppe W (1970) Daily and seasonal patterns of construction activity byOdontotermes latericius (Isoptera: Termitidae). Insectes Sociaux 17:225–232

    Google Scholar 

  • Su M, Tamashiro M, Yates JR, Haverty MI (1984) Foraging behaviour of the formosan subterranean termite (Isoptera Rhinotermitidae) Environ Entomol 13:1466–1470

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Absuhama, F.T., Al Houty, W.A. Diurnal activity rhythms of the subterranean termiteAnacanthotermes vagans (Hagen) under laboratory and field conditions of the Kuwait desert. Int J Biometeorol 33, 12–18 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01045891

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01045891

Key words

Navigation