United States

Department of

Argriculture

Forest Service

Southern Forest

Experiment Station

Rzsearch Note

so-300

August, 1983

A Vacuum-Aspirator for Counting Termites

Susan C. Jones and Joe K. Mauldin

SUMMARY

An aspirator-system powered by a vacuum cleaner

is described for manually counting termites. It is

significantly faster and termite survival is at least

as high as when using a mouth-aspirator for counting large numbers of termites.

Keywords: Vacuum-aspirator, termites.

INTRODUCTION

Termites can be reliably counted In a relatively

short time using an aspirator in which the suction is

created by a small electric vacuum cleaner (Sears@

SPV,B 110 volt). To minimize noise levels, the vacuum cleaner is placed outside the building and connected to the working area via rigid PVC pipe (2.5

cm inner diameter). The end of a tee connector is

left open to reduce the vacuum to an acceptable

level. The vacuum can be further minimized by drilling small holes in the PVC pipe. Caution should be

taken to reduce the vacuum to a level so as not to

injure termites.

A section of PVC pipe is positioned along the

back of a work table to form a manifold into which

several aspirators can be inserted and used at the

same time (fig. 1). One section of a Nalgene@ quickFigure 1.-Vacuum manifold with aspiratory for, counting subterranean termites.

Southern Forest Bxperlment StatlonR’402lO U.S. Postal Services Bldg., 701 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, La. 7Ol13

Forest Servlce, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Sewing Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mlsslsslppl, E. Oklahoma, Tennessee, E. Texas, Puerto RICO, U.S. Vlrgln bland8

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disconnect tubing connector is fitted in each hole

drilled at intervals along the pipe. Aspirators, similarly fitted with connectors, then are hooked up to

the manifold by appropriate lengths of Tygon*

tubing.

Aspirators, modified 30-dr plastic pill containers,

are fitted with a pick-up nozzle and vacuum connector. The nozzle is made from a 20-cm length of

6 mm (outer diameter) glass tubing bent at right

angles approximately 5 cm from one end. This end

is heated and forced through the center of the plastic container lid. The tubing connector is inserted

through a hole drilled next to the glass tube in the

cap. A small piece of copper screen is heated and

secured over the interior opening of the tubing

connector to prevent termites and debris from being

drawn out of the container. Silicon caulking compound is useful for sealing leaks in the cap. Adjustable clamps on each piece of Tygon@ tubing

will regulate the vacuum to each aspirator.

The dimensions given for the vacuum system are

appropriate for counting subterranean termites (Reficulitermes spp. and Coptotermes formosanus Shirraki) as they are aspirated. For other types of insects, the system might be modified by adjusting

the vacuum and tubing diameters.

The methods were compared by timing how long

it took to count five replicates of 100 Reticulitermes

f/wipes (Kollar) workers from each of three colonies. Termites were placed on wood and moist

sand, and survival was determined after either 1, 2,

3, or 4 weeks. The vacuum-system method was

significantly faster than, and percent termite survival (square root transformation) was at least as

high as, the mouth-aspirator method (F-test, P <

0.05).

Members of our laboratory routinely use this vacuum aspirator system to count large numbers of

termites. Advantages over a mouth-aspirator include

operator safety and the capability for counting large

numbers of termites over long periods of time. Continuous use of a mouth-aspirator often results in

sore lips and occasionally an infected throat.

Those who contributed ideas to the design and

construction of aspirator systems leading to the

current one include: John Tynes, Kenneth Tynes,

Alton Gipson, Carley Baxter, Eldon Mallette, Nely

Rich, and Rubien Yates.

Susan C. Jones is Associate Entomologist and Joe K. Mauldin is Principal Entomologist, Southern Forest. Experiment Station,

USDA Forest Service, Gulfport, Mississippi. Mention of a company or trade name is for identification purposes only and does not

imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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