Sobrevivência de operários do cupim-de-montículo Cornitermes cumulans (Kollar, 1832) (Isoptera: Termitidae) alimentados com diferentes dietas artificiais

Abstract

We evaluated the survival of the termite Cornitermes cumulans (Kollar, 1832), isolated from the colony and kept on different artificial diets in the laboratory (21 ± 1° C, 90 ± 10% UR and 24h of scotophase), in Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Fifty termite workers were isolated in each plastic Petri dish, where they were offered diets or not. We used 6 replicates per treatment, evaluating the daily survival of termites until the death of all the individuals. The results were submitted to Weibull survival analysis and the equations were subjected to the test of identity of non-linear models. There was a difference in estimated survival of termites treated with different diets. It was concluded that it is possible to keep Cornitermes cumulans workers alive and isolated from the colony with the use of a diet containing filter paper, bagasse cane sugar and agar as a food source.