FORAGING POPULATIONS AND TERRITORIES OF THE EASTERN SUBTERRANEAN TERMITE (ISOPTERA, RHINOTERMITIDAE) IN SOUTHEASTERN FLORIDA

Foraging populations of colonies of the eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar), were surveyed in residential and undeveloped environments of southeastern Florida. A triple mark-recapture program using the dye marker Nile Blue A indicated foraging populations of R. flavipes contain almost-equal-to 0.2-5.0 million termites per colony, and the foraging territories encompass an area of up to 2,361 m2 and a linear foraging distance of 71 m. Habitat type was not correlated with foraging population size.