Preliminary studies on termite damage on rural houses in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia
Abstract and Figures
Termites are serious pests of agricultural crops and rural houses in Ethiopia. Some attempts were made to control termites on crops. However, termite problem on rural houses is a neglected area regardless of the intensity of the problem which at times results in total collapses of newly constructed houses. To collect preliminary information on status of termite infestation to rural houses, surveys were conducted in three districts of the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia in 2012. Data were collected by direct observations and through semi-structured interviews. A total of 58 houses were inspected in the three districts of which 91% were termite infested at deferent levels. About 81% of the houses aged less than 10 years. Over half of the homeowners used pre-construction preventive measures such as plastic sheet cover and painting with used engine oil. Even though termite infestation was common and serious, only 35% of the homeowners took post construction preventive measures mainly because of lack of knowledge on the problem. The post construction termite control methods used in the study area were removing or scratching mud tubes from the infested parts and painting of the houses with used engine oil. There was no evidence of using synthetic chemicals for the management of termites on rural houses. The local government officials or Development Agents were not aware of termite problems in rural houses as the problem was only seen as a secondary problem. Termite samples were collected from houses, wooden fences and mounds built attached to the exterior walls of the houses. The collected termites were only from the genera Macrotermes and Odontotermes where about 79% was found to be from the former genus. This study explicitly indicated that termites have a great impact on local houses leading to frequent repairing and rebuilding. This damage will eventually lead to deforestation and environmental degradation in addition to its economic impact and spread of the termites. According to key informants of the study areas termite resistant tree species became rare and/or went extinct since they are used for all types of construction. In this study, preliminary information which can clearly demonstrate the level of termite infestation on local houses was obtained which can serve as an important input for the government both for awareness creation and developing best termite management practices.
Figures - uploaded by Emana Getu Degaga
Author content
All figure content in this area was uploaded by Emana Getu Degaga
Content may be subject to copyright.
... • Farmers attempt a number of traditional control methods to control termite infestation, mostly plastic sheets and painting with used engine oil, but they were usually ineffective. (Debelo & Degaga, 2014). • Eucalyptus, which is easily attacked by termites, is usually smoked and / or soaked in burnt oil. ...
... Where the termite problem is very accentuated, thatched roof huts are destroyed in less than five years and corrugated iron roof houses in less than eight years (e.g. in western Ethiopia). (Debelo & Degaga, 2014). • Once the termites have reached the roof, especially in CGI roof houses, which contain only a few roof supporting timbers, termites ring-cut the timbers at their junction with the wall leaving the roof with no fixation to the wall. ...
... As the damage is not visible, the homeowners do not take action timely, and thus the whole roof may be removed completely even by a slight wind. (Debelo & Degaga, 2014). Round verandah and stone plinth protecting a chikka house. ...
Detailed shelter response profile Ethiopia: local building cultures for sustainable and resilient habitats. Villefontaine : CRAterre. 60 p.
CRAterre and its partners have been working for several years on the elaboration and the diffusion of a local building cultures identification method, especially with regards to their contribution to Disaster Risk Reduction. This work aims at facilitating the identification of their strengths and weaknesses and of the opportunities they offer, in order to promote them – in an adapted version if necessary – in habitat reconstruction or improvement projects. This document was elaborated at the occasion of this research project. It introduces reference data on local building cultures and local sociocultural resilient strategies that should be considered when designing and implementing habitat or DRR projects. It aims at helping stakeholders in identifying the strengths and weaknesses of local buildings and in raising awareness among their partners. This factsheet is to be considered as a basis for the elaboration of project-specific strategies. It must be completed by field surveys to exchange with local actors and by further research on the working area specificities. The potentials and stakes deeply differ from a place to another and stakeholders will benefit from the collected data in order to take comprehensive and accurate decisions.
... • Farmers attempt a number of traditional control methods to control termite infestation, mostly plastic sheets and painting with used engine oil, but they were usually ineffective. (Debelo & Degaga, 2014). • Eucalyptus, which is easily attacked by termites, is usually smoked and / or soaked in burnt oil. ...
... Where the termite problem is very accentuated, thatched roof huts are destroyed in less than five years and corrugated iron roof houses in less than eight years (e.g. in western Ethiopia). (Debelo & Degaga, 2014). • Once the termites have reached the roof, especially in CGI roof houses, which contain only a few roof supporting timbers, termites ring-cut the timbers at their junction with the wall leaving the roof with no fixation to the wall. ...
... As the damage is not visible, the homeowners do not take action timely, and thus the whole roof may be removed completely even by a slight wind. (Debelo & Degaga, 2014). Round verandah and stone plinth protecting a chikka house. ...
Collaborating institution :- National Disaster Risk Management Commission (NDRMC) of the Government of Ethiopia- Global shelter cluster- Shelter cluster Ethiopia- LabEx AE&CC / ENSAG / Université Grenoble-Alpes- International Organisation for Migration (IOM) - International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies - CARE International UK
... The indications of termite attacks recorded in the present study included galleries (trails of termites covered by soil, wood particles, and/or feces), termite nests around houses, and parts of termite nests that were connected to the buildings. These signs were used to locate and indicate termite attack in the selected structures [31][32][33]. When a traditional house was found to be infested by termites, the condition was recorded digitally and manually. ...
... According to interviews with home owners, 72 houses (90%) were built using selected hard wood species (e.g., Shorea spp., Artocarpus spp., and Vitex spp.) depending on their culture, art, beliefs, and traditional knowledge of biological resources, as reported in Saudi Arabia [9], Malay Peninsula [10], and Africa [32]. Such wood species were common around the villages at the time of construction. ...
Surveys of the conditions of termite attack were conducted in two regencies, Pidie and Greater Aceh, Aceh Province, Indonesia (40 houses in each location). Interviews were also conducted with home owners to collect data on the building history; culture, such as daily life in the house; the frequency and intensity of termite attacks; and traditional knowledge for avoiding and/or suppressing termite attacks. We found that 51% of traditional houses were infested by two termite species: Coptotermes gestroi and Nasutitermes matangensis. The lower parts of traditional houses were frequently attacked and severely damaged by termites. Previous land use and the ages of the traditional houses affected the intensity of the termite attacks. Several measures for avoiding and/or suppressing termite attacks on cultural heritage buildings are also proposed.
... A total of 106 houses were randomly assessed for termite infestation based on visual observation of signs such as termite mud tubes on walls, pores in walls, damaged parts such as roofs (wood and grass), windows and door frames, wood in walls, and wooden furniture among others. When a house was found infested, its condition was recorded as in Debelo and Degaga (2014): slightly infested-only mud tubes on walls, roofs, windows and door frames, and mounds (nests) at the base of walls and inside houses without any sign of damage or little damage; moderately infested-woods, walls, windows and door frames, roofs, or woods supporting roofs have been partially eaten, but not completely; severely infested but not collapsed-windows, door frames, some of the woods in walls and/or roofs eaten out completely, and windows and/or door frames cut off or slanted; collapsed-a highly damaged house, which is collapsed or had wood completely eaten out causing the collapse of the supported structure. Pieces of wood in the premises and wooden fences were also inspected for those houses which had wooden ...
... Materu, Jacob, and Bruno (2013) found Microtermes, Pseudocanthotermes, Macrotermes, and Odontotermes to infest coconut nurseries in Tanzania. Debelo and Degaga (2014) recorded 91% termite infestation in a rural community in Ethiopia due to Macrotermes and Odontotermes. According to the natives in Ase, during the wet season (around February to October), termites tend to be abundant in houses. ...
Abstract Background Termites (Order Isoptera) are eusocial insects that are of great benefit and economic importance to humans. Despite its benefits and economic attributes to humans, it accounts for serious damage on buildings in Nigeria especially in the rural areas. The aim of this study was to collect preliminary data on termite infestation of the buildings in Ase, a local community in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Data was collected by direct observation of termites on the buildings, and a structured questionnaire was presented to respondents in houses with visual signs of infestation. Samples of termites were collected from parts of the houses with mud tubes or nests. Results A total of 106 houses were inspected with 35.85% infested with termites. The termites found were two species of Amitermes, one of Microcerotermes, three of Nasutitermes, two of Neotermes, and one of Odontotermes. Most infested homes (71%) were graded as moderate, severely damaged, and collapsed revealing a major problem. Percentage infestation of wood services revealed door frames 62.5% and wall (mud tubes) 87.75%, floor 18.85%, logs outside the house 56.25%, windows and roof 43.75%, ceiling 18.75%, and bathroom, furniture, and kitchen 6.25%. Respondents were 30–90 years old and did not attribute mud tubes to termite infestation. Seventy-two percent of the buildings were less than 60 years, and preventive measures used by respondents were Solignum and used engine oil. Most of the buildings were severely infested, and a
... However, the longevity of a thatched roof can also be quite short even under ideal local conditions, and thatch roofs appear to be particularly short-lived in many areas of the tropics. In Ethiopia and Tanzania, estimates range only 4-6 years [ 44,90,91 ], and in Myanmar both grass and palm thatch last no more than 2-4 years in most locations [ 92 ]. This wide diversity in thatch roof lifespans illustrates the need for greater clarity in understanding what ecological conditions and biological characteristics lend themselves to a superior thatch species. ...
... Although effort has been made to ensure quality construction of engineering structures within the recent years, very little attention has been paid to the effects of biological activities of plants and insects on these structures. According to Debelo and Degaga [6] termites problem on rural houses is a neglected area regardless of the intensity of the problem which at times results to total collapse of newly constructed houses. And it is estimated that the annual economic cost of structural damage to buildings from termites in urban areas is about $15-29 Billion Dollars worldwide (Geer, 2005; [5,7] Adedamola [9] pointed out that while it is certain that buildings are prone to deterioration, it is important that the rate of collapse and associated loss should be greatly reduced. ...
Engineering structures are constantly subject to damage caused by biological activities such as the action of insects, penetration of roots and fluids. Because of this, we conducted a critical study on how these activities contribute to the collapse of these structures in Nigeria. The damage caused by biological activities was evaluated in fifteen buildings in Cross River State, of these buildings six showed damage caused by termites, two of the failed engineering structures were linked to development of roots of plants, and the remaining seven were linked to poor quality building materials, poor compaction, lack of supervision, poor engineering design. Others ten structurally failed buildings were examined in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria, of these four were linked to biological activities of termites, with subsurface porosity showing evidence of surface water discharge zones, two of the failed structures were linked to the growth activities of roots of trees, and four to poor construction design. The road that links Cross River State to Abuja had more than 80 points of failure, the majority of which were linked to poor compaction of road foundation, root of plants and fluid interference. Such damage could be prevented through: thorough investigation of biological activities existing and likely to exist around the environment before the establishment of the engineering structure and over the years; use of bio-resistant materials, such as nano materials incorporated coatings with novel functionalities should be used in the construction of structures; protection of engineering structures from fluid penetration into foundations; and engineering structures must follow the global best practices guide lines, provided by ‘Society of Structural Engineers’.
Keywords: Termites; animals; plants; environment; porosity; roots.
... Education, type of house and age of house have very strong drive on factors that influence termite infestation. This result corroborated the findings of Ghaly and Edwards (2011), Debelo and Degaga (2014), Ugbomeh and Diboyesuku (2019), Novita et al. (2020). ...
From forests to human dwellings, infestations of woods by termites are on the increase. Despite the increasing occurrences of termite infestations in human dwellings in the Niger Delta region, there is still insufficient information about the preventive and remedial measures towards house termites by house-owners (HOs) in the region. Through a survey of Omuoko [n = (50%) = 82] and Omuihechi [n = (50%) = 57] communities in the Ikwerre area of Port Harcourt, this study analyzed a 139-house owner samples using standard methods. Data obtained show that 64.7% of HOs use preventive measures which include chemicals (43.2%), chemicals and non-wood materials (20.9%), and non-wood materials (0.6%). A sub-total of 73 HOs representing 52.5% of the total respondents use remedial measures with chemicals (34.2%) being dominant, followed by Chemicals and replacement (27.4%), Replacement (17.8%), Scraping (12.3%), Chemical and scrapping (6.8%), and cement (1.4%). This study indicates that old, wooden, and thatched houses are highly susceptible to termites' infestations, thus deserving periodic preventive and remedial treatments through expert consultations and/or do-it-yourself methods.
... Although only 185 of 2600 termite species are considered pests, however, these pests have a huge negative impact on economy. The expenditures for damage and preventative treatment run about $15-20 billion dollars worldwide [8,9] and $ 2-3 billion dollars in Unites States alone annually [10]. Termites consume diet rich in cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and lignin derivatives [11]. ...
The present study reports a sustainable source of lignin, from termite frass. Lignin was extracted using Klason’s method and subjected to polarization studies to check the inhibition efficiency and measured the electrochemical performance of the coated sample on the carbon steel using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The anticorrosive property was determined in a simulated corrosive environment (0.1 M NaOH and 0.5 M NaOH). The morphological analysis of the surface of both bare metal and the lignin-coated ones, before and after exposure to the corrosive environment, was recorded using atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDX). The lignin showed maximum inhibition efficiency at 600 ppm in 0.5 M NaOH solution. Moreover, the lignin coated on carbon steel exhibited about 70% corrosion inhibition efficiency as recorded by potentiodynamic polarization studies and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The AFM and SEM analyses further corroborated the protection of the metal surface from corrosion when coated with lignin. Hence, the study suggests lignin from termite frass as a sustainable biological source suitable for anticorrosive applications.
Graphic abstract
... Termites are social insects belonging to the order Isoptera, they are essential in the ecosystem of the soil and are found throughout the world (Abdel and Skai, 2011). Although by their activities they have beneficial values, they also have harmful damaging effects on their targets (Debelo and Degaga, 2014). The undesirable change in the properties of a material caused by the vital activities of living organisms like termites different from physical, chemical and mechanical influences is referred to as biodeterioration. ...
The paper reviewed the control measures against damage caused by termites. The objective was achieved using baseline published literature and data. This is particularly important because of the ever present destructive effect and presence of termites in every area of life worldwide. Multiple effective measures, ranging from chemical treatments to independent pest management procedures were identified. The right choice and application of termite preventive and control measures will be a great reprieve to stakeholders all over the world.
Land clearing carried out in part or all of the ‘Rubber Garden’ area for settlement often leave stumps and branches that becomes food sources for termites and when the food sources is ran out, termites attack extends to the wooden structure of the house building and becomes a destructive pest. The aim of this research was to detect the presence of termites through signs of infestation on house building and yard located in the Gundaling ‘Rubber Garden’, Barito Timur Regency. Twenty house buildings were observed. Visual detection of termite infestation signs was conducted on house building and yard such as on wooden building components, fuel wood, stump, dead and living trees, and recording wooden building components damaged by termite infestation. Termites specimens were collected by directly capture termites from mud tubes and nests on the observed house buildings and yards. The results showed the presence of termites from the genus Nasutitermes on house buildings through signs of infestation in the form of mud tubes, carton nests, and damaged wooden building components. In the yard, the genus Nasutitermes was found through signs of infestation in the form of a mud tubes, arboreal carton nest, while the signs of termite infestation of genus Coptotermes was in the form of shelter tubes.
Termites are well -known for their capacity to damage and destroy wood and wood products of all kinds in the tropics and subtropics. A field test was undertaken to evaluate variations in wood consumption of Pinus sp. and three species of Eucalyptus by subterranean termites. The test consisted of wooden stakes of each species being initially submitted to water immersion for 0, 24, 48 and 72 h, and buried in the ground to natural infestation by subterranean termites for an exposure period of 30, 45 and 60 days. Three species of subterranean termites were identified: Heterotermes longiceps (Snyder), Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann) (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae), and Nasutitermes jaraguae (Holmgren) (Isoptera: Termitidae). This is the first record of occurrence of H. longiceps in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Although the wood-consumption rates were not correlated significantly with their wood densities, there was a tendency of the softwoods (E. robusta and Pinus sp.) to be more consumed by subterranean termites than the woods of intermediate hardness (E. pellita and E. urophylla). Among the eucalyptus, E. robusta showed to be more susceptible to attack by subterranean termites than E. pellita and E.urophylla.
Subterranean termites ('termites') are a major pest of human structures throughout tropical and sub-tropical regions, causing billions of dollars in damage to timber-in-service worldwide. Most control systems, in the past, relied almost solely on the use of extensively applied organochlorines as the major termiticides. These chemicals were banned for use as termiticides through out most of Australia in 1995. The banning of organochlorin es stimulated a fresh look and wholly biorational approach to termite control. The focus of research is now directed to finding more "environmentally friendly" termite control methods. In order to develop new possibilities for more acceptable termite control, it is necessary to have a clear understanding of their biology, including reproduction, division of labour, foraging, intra-specific and inter-specific interactions, hindgut microbial community and environmental influences. Improved understanding may lead to more efficient and more effective control strategies. The purpose of this review is to review the current research on Australian termites highlighting ongoing research related to development of alternative control methods and to identify areas in need of further study and funding
In total, 289 termite samples were collected from 45 counties in Indiana during 2002-2004. Approximately 89% of the collection sites were associated with artificial structures, and almost half of the samples were from inside homes. The rest of the samples were from forested areas. Termite samples were identified based on their morphological characteristics, molecular characteristics, or both. Five species from the genus Reticulitermes were identified, and the relative abundance (percentage of the total collections) of these five species was Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) (90.0), Reticulitermes virginicus (Banks) (7.6), Reticulitermes arenincola (Goellner) (1.0), Reticulitermes tibialis (Banks) (1.0), and Reticulitermes hageni Banks (0.3). Based on the distribution map, R. flavipes was the dominant and the most widely distributed species in Indiana (44 counties); followed by R. virginicus (13 counties). The three other Reticulitermes species, R. arenincola, R. tibialis, and R. hageni, were encountered in only five counties. R. arenincola is considered a rare species and its distribution has been limited to sand dunes near Lake Michigan. However, in this study, two of the three R. arenincola samples were collected outside of its type location. R. tibialis was found in three counties, whereas R. hageni was only found in Evansville, IN. To complement the morphological identifications, a 389-bp region of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) 16S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced from all five Reticulitermes species. Based on species-specific polymorphisms exhibited in mtDNA sequences, a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism-based diagnostic tool was developed to identify samples lacking of diagnostic morphological characters.
The sustainability of irrigated agriculture is questioned and the challenge is to increase simultaneously land and water productivity in the face of the limited availability of land and water in the CRV, the Central Rift Valley. The aim of this research is to assess the social-economic performance of two communitybased small-scale irrigation schemes in Adami Tullu Jido Kombolcha Woreda (ATJK) and to identify options to improve irrigation performance and resource management
The volume is divided into seven chapters: termites as insects (what is a termite?, evolution, relationships to cockroaches, castes of termites, classification of termites); distribution (World distribution, pest distribution, factors affecting distribution); termite biology and behaviour (commuinication, feeding, water requirements, defence, foraging, nest building); nest systems (nest types, termitophiles); termite ecology (soil type, vegetation types, benefits to the environment, environmental factors, predators and parasites); termites as pests (food preferences, damage recognition and detection, damage assessment); and control methods (chemical control, physical and cultural control, biological control, safety). Four appendices provide information on: collection and identification; culture methods; monitoring methods; and laboratory tests using termites.