Species Diversity and Damage Incidence of Termites (Isoptera) in different Agro-ecological Zones of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Species Diversity and Damage Incidence of Termites (Isoptera) in different Agro-ecological Zones of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Maid Zaman1*, Imtiaz Ali Khan1, Amjad Usman1 and Ahmad-Ur-Rahman Saljoqi2
ABSTRACT
Termites are eusocial insects living in the colonies as workers, soldiers, and reproductive caste found across the globe specifically in tropics acting as invertebrate decomposer excluding the only 3% species which are the leading pests causing damages to agriculture, forestry, and housing/structures. Diverse ecological conditions of Pakistan made it favorable for termites which are found across the country but its diversity, genera strength, percent host and habitat attacked for district Swabi, Buner and Haripur is unreported. After collection (either on spot or through NIFA-Termaps) and identification, all districts had equal species number (05) but different type of species from the genera Heterotermes (02), Odontotermes (04) and Angulitermes (01). Genus Odontoteremes is more strengthened (57%) in number of species followed by genus Heterotermes (29%) and genus Angulitermes (14%). In district Buner, wood and Pinus were mostly attacked by the various species. Similarly, in district Haripur, wood was most attacked followed by grasses and acacia while in district Swabi most attacks were noted on maize, Pinus and wood. In habitat study, almost similar number of percent attack for forest in Haripur (46.15%) and Buner (47.92%) was noted with lower number of attacks in Swabi (34.21%). In structural study, 35.42%; 34.21% and 30.77% of structures were attacked in Buner, Swabi and Haripur respectively. It is pertinent to mention that agriculture fields in district Swabi were maximum percent attacked (31.58%) as compared to Haripur (23.08%) and Buner (16.67%). This data will help scientists, farmers, foresters, and policy makers for the successful management of the pests in the studied area.
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