Risco de predação de cupins arboríicolas (insecta: isoptera) durante o forrageamento

Abstract

The animals need to search for resources and tend to optimize their activities. Insects use ways to reduce the costs of transportation and risk of predation, especially the social insects. The construction of the trails is an example of the benefits of group foraging is greater than the costs, including construction of tunnels. Accordingly, the objective of this study is to test the hypothesis that termites arboreals select resources closer to foraging as a measure to reduce reproductive costs in producing new soldiers and workers. Its implementation, where 40 nests were chosen arboreals located in trees that do not canopy were connected to others. 20 specimens were collected from each nest and up to 5 specimens of each tunnel which were active to a maximum radius of 10 meters, measured with a tape measure is the distance that each tunnel was the nest. Statistical analysis of data was done in software R2.9.0, assessing the survival of termite baits within each plot comparing the number of tunnels and the distance tunnels were in the nest. There is greater survival of the termita baits in locations with higher number of tunnels near the nest or at least number of tunnels more distant from the nest.