Resistance of Some Indigenous Tree Species to Termite Attack in Nigeria1

Abstract The resistance of some indigenous types of tree species to attack by termites (Blattodea: Termitidae) was investigated in Ondo State, Nigeria. Indigenous trees of different bulk densities used for this study were Celtis zenkeri Engl. (Cannabaceae), Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth. (Fabaceae), Terminalia superba Engl. & Diels (Combretaceae), Cola gigantia A. Chev. (Malvaceae), and Terminalia ivorensis A. Chev. (Combretaceae). The three locations used for the study were Okitipupa, Akure, and Akungba-Akoko, representing lowland rainforest, tropical rainforest, and savannah regions, respectively. The primary termite species recovered were Macrotermes bellicosus (Smeathman), Macrotermes sybhylinus (Rambur), and Odontotermes horni (Wasmann) for Okitipupa, Akure, and Akungba-Akoko, respectively. Field-exposure tests for each of the locations suggested that density affected the resistance of the wood samples to termite attack. Wood in the high density class had a better resistance to attack by termites compared with low density wood. The severity of attack was highest in Akure and least in the Okitipupa location. Irrespective of wood density and location in Ondo State, Nigerian lumber should be treated before installation to ensure protection.