Anacanthotermes

Pest species: Anacanthotermes species are important pests of rural housing in Africa, as they remove straw from the mud bricks of rural housing, causing them to collapse. Softer timber and palm thatch are also attacked. In parts of lower Egypt whole villages have had to be abandoned due to Anacanthotermes activities (Kassab et al., 1960). In north east Afghanistan termite damage in traditional flat roofs with wood beams is so bad that instead houses are built with cupola roofs. Great damage can also been done to railway sleepers (Harris, 1970).

Farm residues are also removed from the soil, reducing the input of organic mulches to the soil. The increased use of marginal land has increased the importance of the genus as a pest.

Also an important pests of stored products - especially stored grain - throughout the genus’s range (Roonwal, 1979).

Often described as an important rangeland pest, especially in Central Asia, Pakistan and India, but this is contentious and the apparent effect may be masking the damage done by overgrazing by large mammalian herbivores (Wood, 1996).

Classification: 
Wed, 2009-01-21 15:51 -- Anonymous (not verified)

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