Identifier

etd-05262016-100421

Degree

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Entomology

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

In New Orleans alone, the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus, causes $300 million in damages annually. Formosan subterranean termites are the most destructive subterranean termite in the world wherever they occur. From 1998- 2011 Operation Full Stop was implemented in five phases. Basic parameters were set up through the LSU AgCenter. French Quarter Residents were allowed to select their own licensed pest control operator for approved termite treatments. The United States Department of Agriculture in New Orleans provided funds to Operation Full Stop to pay the pest control operator for initial treatment and yearly renewal of termite contracts. Terminix Service Co. Inc. in New Orleans participated fully in the program from 1998-2011 in New Orleans. Terminix Service Co. Inc. (Metairie, LA) had 404 Sentricon® baiting accounts in Operation Full Stop (Pest Control Solutions, Jackson Mississippi). From this list every 7th account was selected until one hundred accounts was achieved.From the master list each account was looked up on Dox Serve Software (Abita Spring, LA) where route sheets were stored. Each account had its own file stored in the Dox Serve system. Account information and route sheets were then individually analyzed and the information was manually implemented in an Excel spreadsheet, sorted by JMP statistical software by SAS and analyzed by SAS PROC MIXED. Termite activity was calculated based on an Attack Rate. Attack Rate was defined as the number stations with active termites/ number of stations divided by number of inspections and then multiplied by 100. Attack Rate average was calculated for each account per year. Our study measured termite activity based on sampled Terminix Sentricon® baiting accounts from 1998-2011 only. The main objective of this study was to determine if Terminix Service Co. Inc. decreased termite activity in sampled baiting accounts during Operation Full Stop. There was a significant decrease in Attack Rate from 1998-2011. The slope of this decreasing trend of Attack Rate observed from 1998-2011 was also significant. Our results suggest that termite baiting in Terminix Service Co. Inc. decreased Formosan subterranean termite activity in Operation Full Stop.

Date

2016

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

Henderson, Gregg

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_theses.1391

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Included in

Entomology Commons

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