HOUSEHOLD AND STRUCTURAL INSECTS The Influence of Fipronil on Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) Feeding Beyond Treated Plots

A small-plot Þeld trial was conducted to examine the area of inßuence of Þpronil at incremental distances away from treated plots on theHarrison Experimental Forest near Saucier, MS. Small treated (water and Þpronil) plots were surrounded by untreated wooden boards in an eightpoint radial pattern, and examined for evidence of termite feeding every 60 d for 1 yr after treatment. Circular areas of 0, 0.28, 1.13, 2.55, 4.52, 7.07, and 10.18 m around the treated plots were installed to evaluate feeding damage by termites on the boards. The relationship between feeding damage to boards and area for each time interval was examined by using an exponential increasemodel. For both treatments and controls in nearly all periods examined, feeding was suppressed in the boards nearest to the treated plots, but increased exponentially as the area increased. Beginning 4mo after treatment, treatment plots had lower proportions of boards with termite feeding evidence than control plots. Reduction in feeding was the only inßuence of Þpronil observed beyond the treated plots.