Comparative Efficacy of Varied Concentrations Fipronyl in the Laboratory Management of Termites

Fipronyl are chemical formulations of phenyl pyrazole insecticide acting on the chloride channel of nervous system of insects to hinder chloride metabolism of γ- amino butyric acid of insect’s nervous system resulting in excess neuronal stimulation followed by death. It has good control against subterranean termites attacking buildings. The efficacy of Fipronyl 200 g/l against field -collected eastern subterranean termite was carried out to assess the efficacy of Fipronyl at the rate of 200 g/l in controlling termites when compared with fipronil 25g/l in laboratory since Fipronil 25 g/l was the experimental standard. The experiment was laid out in a Randomised Block Design carried out in the laboratory with five treatments and six replicates.Both termicides were tested at Fipronyl 200 g/l concentrations (2 ml/l, 4 ml/l and 6 ml/l) and fipronil 25 g/l under concentration of (10 ml/l) by treating Eucalyptus grandis and Gravillea robusta wood blocks. The research was carried out at the Forest Products Research Centre of the Kenya Forestry Research Institute. The mode of wood blocks treatment was by dip diffusion. This study showed that 2 ml/, 4 ml/l and 6 ml/l levels of concentrations for Fipronyl or fipronil 25 g/l (10 ml/l) have equal impact on termites since there was no significant difference in weight loss in the treated timbers, compared with untreated blocks that had weight loss. Therefore, Fipronyl are effective termicides at the rates of 2 ml/l, 4 m/l and 6 ml/l. Fipronil 25 g/l are effective termicides at the rate of 10 ml/l. Further exposure time of wood samples to termites is advisable to give a clear evaluation on the efficacy of Fipronil 25 g/l and Fipronyl 200 g/l commercial formulations at various treatment concentrations on treated timber.