Protecting a holiday village from termites in a natural park: a challenging experience in Andalusia (Spain)

Abstract Id: ICE2008_1268Introduction: Subterranean termites are a serious threat in urban environments and termite management can be difficult in areas with special constraints. This work was carried out in Priego de Cordoba, a place of great historic and naturalistic relevance in South-Eastern Spain, belonging to the Parque Natural de las Sierras Subbeticas, and the intervention was performed in a holiday village (14000 m2) where an underground spring had been found. Methods: A preliminary inspection showed the presence of Reticulitermes grassei in many buildings of the village so the termite bait system SENTRItm Tech Dow AgroSciences was chosen as the most appropriate. In March 2007, 135 underground monitoring stations were initially installed in the constructions basement vaults, along the buildings perimeter and in the garden areas, covering all the areas where termite damage could have been most probable. Periodical inspections were performed and when active infestations were found, the monitoring wooden sticks were replaced with Hexaflumuron treated baits. Results: Monitoring data revealed that termite infestation was rather uniformly distributed all over the village and had a high potential of serious damage. The highest number of active stations (46%) and the highest number of termites was detected in May. After the baiting program, the number of active stations, number of termites and bait consumption gradually decreased and by October only 4% of the stations was still active.Conclusions: The chosen control method guaranteed protection without negative environmental consequences and additional costs. Early and timely termite management interventions can prevent serious damages and economical losses