Advanced Research Journal of Microbiology   Vol. 2 (1), pp. 074-077,  September, 2015. © Advanced Scholars Journals

 Full length Research paper

Assessment of the type and number of reproductives in M. Subhyalinus colonies in Ghimbi district western Ethiopia

Mulatu W.^* and Emana G

¹Haramaya University School of Plant Sciences

²Addis Ababa University Faculty of Graduate Studies

Department of Zoological Sciences, Insect Science Stream, P.O. Box 1176.

E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 10 September, 2015

Abstract 

Termite samples were collected between May 2011 and June 2012 across the distributional range of M. subhyalinus in Ghimbi District of western Ethiopia. Sampling was made in five directions in five PAs each about 18 km away from the town. Accordingly, five fields of different management history from each peasant association (PA) was selected across transect. The total number of samples (125) was organized and the frequency data of both the primary and secondary reproductives were obtained. Accordingly, 85 queens (68%), 83 kings (66.4%), and 14 (12.2%) secondary reproductives were recorded. In 9 (7.2%) of the samples both primary and secondary reproductives were observed. There were also 17 (13.6%) instances where none of the reproductives were found in actively performing colonies. In a few of the cases up to five secondary reproductives has been recorded in a single big mound. The result showed that in areas where the primary reproductives were removed the number of secondary reproducives significantly increased.  Unlike the findings with other Macrotemes species, no multiple queens or kings was found in a single mound. It could be concluded that queen removal in M. subhyalinus colonies lead to the development of secondary reproductives that ensured survival of the colony. But no multiple primary reproductives were observed in contrast to the multiple secondary reproductives found in a single nest of these colonies.

Key word: Macrotermitinae, primary reproductives, secondary reproductives, queen removal, termite management.