2022 Volume 26 Issue 4 Pages 147-181
Termite attacks on living trees, as have been reported, were globally reviewed from the viewpoints of regional details, ecology and practical control. To properly understand the phenomena of termite-tree interactions, it is necessary to understand both termites and trees adopt evolutionary stable strategies. Reviewing the phenomena with the viewpoints of termites' behavioral ecology and tree physiology leads to a hypothesis that almost all the termite damages on living trees all over the world can be elucidated as either (1) a consequence of symbiosis between termites and trees with little fitness loss of trees, or (2) a result of termites' optimistic attacks due to trees' weakening through the other causes. In controlling termites damaging constructions and surrounding trees simultaneously, trials based upon the theory of integrated pest management (IPM) are needed, utilizing bait formulations in most of the cases. Also in Japan, an administrative improvement is needed to facilitate the problems of separated registration systems of indoor and outdoor pesticide usage.
