What to do when white ants (termites) infest Ganoderma lucidum?
The white ant (Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki), also known as the termite or house termite, belongs to the class Insecta, order Isoptera.
1. Morphology and habits: Each colony contains three morphological forms and different functional types of termites. The large-winged ant (a type of reproductive ant), also called the flying ant, has a body length of 7.5-8.5 mm, wing length of 11 mm, a nearly round brown head, inconspicuous secretory pores, and 21 antennal segments. The thorax and abdomen are yellowish-brown. The wings are grayish-white and transparent, with the wings and front margins pale yellowish-brown. The soldier ant has a body length of 5.5 mm, an oval yellow head, and conspicuous secretory pores. The mandibles are brown, curved inward, with no teeth on the inner side. There are 14-15 antennal segments. The thorax and abdomen are milky white. The worker ant has a body length of 4.5-6 mm, a round head, no secretory pores, 15-16 antennal segments, and a milky white thorax and abdomen.
Termites are insects that live in nests and are gregarious. In the south, the large-winged ants swarm on sultry evenings with low atmospheric pressure in May and June. House termites prefer dark and humid conditions. They begin to venture out in late spring and early summer, and only gradually retreat into the nest to activity after the weather turns cool in autumn. In cultivation sites (rooms), nests are generally built on the ground, inside mud walls, or on ceilings. Nests are divided into main and secondary nests. The main nest is generally located near water in a relatively firm, hidden, dry place with abundant food. Inside the main nest are the king, queen, young termites, eggs, and some worker and soldier ants; the secondary nest is a place where worker and soldier ants temporarily gather. A relatively large termite gallery leads from the entire nest to a water source, and galleries connect the main and secondary nests.
2. Damage situation: They bore into and eat the Ganoderma lucidum bed logs, tunneling along the wood grain, competing with Ganoderma lucidum for nutrients, seriously affecting mycelial growth, and hollowing out the bed logs, causing reduced yield or total crop failure.
3. Control methods
(1) The site should be chosen to avoid termite sources, and tree stumps and weeds should be cleared from the site and its surroundings.
(2) Contact the local termite control station and, under their guidance, spray targeted pesticides for poisoning and killing based on the termite species and activity conditions.
(3) Around the cultivation site, bury pine wood and bagasse mixed with termite-killing bait to attract and kill hidden termites.
(4) Dig a ring-shaped trench more than 50 cm deep and 40 cm wide around the site to prevent termite invasion.
(5) Use soaking and flooding methods to drown or drive out the termites, then use termite-killing pesticide to poison and kill them.