West Indian drywood termite, Cryptotermes brevis, in Australia: current understanding, ongoing issues, and future needs

ABSTRACT

West Indian drywood termite, Cryptotermes brevis, is an invasive pest of particular importance due to its global distribution, cryptic lifecycle, potential to spread and economic impact. The species has been under a Queensland Government-funded prevention and control program since its detection in the 1960s, but this program ceased in 2021. It is now increasingly important to develop alternative methods for managing this pest and slowing its spread. This review synthesises information on C. brevis, its commercial impact, and the unique factors contributing to its global spread. We highlight areas where information on the species is lacking and identify corresponding research needed to fill these gaps. Results from these future research efforts may help improve the management of this termite in terms of improved detection and spot-control of colonies and creating a better understanding of at-risk timber species.

KEYWORDS:

• drywood termite
• eradication
• fumigation
• history
• Queensland
• control

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr Helen Nahrung and Prof. Jeff Morrell at the University of the Sunshine Coast for their assistance in writing and reviewing this article. We also thank Chris Fitzgerald and Janet McDonald at the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland, for access to their data and professional input on this review. Finally, the authors thank the reviewers of this article for their assistance in improving the quality of the piece.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

¹ https://termatrac.com/t3i-all-sensor

² https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/biosecurity/plants/insects/west-indian-drywood-termite/identify

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the University of the Sunshine Coast [CAT11810].