CRITICAL THERMAL LIMITS AND TEMPERATURE TOLERANCE IN THE HARVESTER TERMITE HODOTERMES-MOSSAMBICUS (HAGEN)

The CTMax of pigmented major and minor workers and unpigmented larvae of Hodotermes mossambicus (Hagen) from laboratory colonies range between 43.5-48.53-degrees-C while the CTMin range between 5.3-10.31-degrees-C over a range of acclimation temperatures between 15 and 35-degrees-C. Major and minor workers have both higher CTMax and lower CTMin than unpigmented large larvae. Temperature tolerance limits are influenced by a number of factors such as the age or maturity of the individual, its size and colour, previous thermal history, the extent of its water reserves as well as environmental conditions.