• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.191-208
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• 2021

In this study, the status of damage by subterranean termites and their management according to the region and type of domestic wooden cultural properties were identified. This was based on the survey reports of agencies conducting regular nationwide and regional monitoring of subterranean termites. In addition, using geographical information system (GIS) based on the survey contents, a map was constructed of termite infestation and its progress on 2,805 wooden cultural properties that were surveyed nationwide. Based on the map produced, a total of 486 cases of termite infestation were confirmed in wooden cultural properties during 2018-2019, of which 143 cases (approximately 29.4%) were confirmed to be owing to the invasion of termites in the ground and infestation of wood materials. A web platform and an application using a mapping application program interface were created to increase accessibility to the investigated damage status data. The methods employed by each institution for investigating and monitoring the invasion of termites in the ground included the use of detection dogs, visual observation, installation of wood specimens made of pine, and microwave equipment. However, it was confirmed that monitoring and survey methods were not applied to determine the territorial range of the subterranean termite colonies. Accordingly, the use of dyeing and mark-release-recapture methods were deemed necessary to understand the current status, such as calculating the scope of the target wooden cultural property, when monitoring subterranean termite colonies.

• 보존과학연구
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• s.32
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• pp.123-136
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• 2011

There are more than 2,800 different species of termites in the world, but just there is one species (Reticulitermes speratus kyushuensis Morimoto) in Korea. Once wooden structures are damaged by termites, we are applying chemical control methods such as fumigation, treatment of insecticidal and antiseptic chemicals, soil termiticide treatment, and termite colony elimination system to pest control. But in Korea, the termite infestation is gradually increasing, so it is essential to study on the present situation of termite control in US or Japan. Accordingly, in this part we have studied focusing on the case of US. In the US, there are three groups of termites : Subterranean, Drywood, Dampwood termites, and they caused more severe infestation compared with Korea. When a structure has become infested with termites, it is important that appropriate action must be taken: the chemical pest control (soil treatment, termite baiting, termite colony elimination), the modification and maintenance of buildings and the regular inspection for follow-up. And with consideration for different characteristics of termites, the process of pest control is made according to each species of termites. Most of the subterranean termite control is done by applying either termiticide to the soil or termite monitoring and baiting system around the structure. On the other hand, drywood termite control methods can be categorized as either the treatment for the whole structure or the treatment for localized area. Applications to the whole structure are done by fumigants or heat and the localized treatments are carried out with chemicals as well as heat, freezing, microwave and electricity.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.62 no.3
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• pp.171-182
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• 2023

In the Republic of Korea, many of the wooden architectural heritage are located in forests and, therefore, are vulnerable to termite damage. In Korea, the predominant approach to termite control involves chemical control methods using termiticides. The rapid attraction of termites to termiticides is essential to shorten the control period. The current study investigated the attraction of Korean termites to carbon dioxide and the appropriate concentration of carbon dioxide required for effective attraction by conducting a basic experiment on the attracting effect in the underground environment. The results showed that carbon dioxide is effective for attracting termites, and an effective concentration range of 10% or less was selected. Additionally, this study established the potential and applicability of carbon dioxide as an attractant in the control of subterranean termites. Future studies should aim at conducting field studies on the application of carbon dioxide to improve the termite control effect, particularly in preserving wooden architectural heritage.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.188-197
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• 2020

Termites play an important role as decomposers of the forest ecosystem, while simultaneously causing enormous damage to wooden structures. Currently, two species of subterranean termites have been reported in Korea, and termite damage to historical wooden buildings is occurring nationwide due to climate change, forest fertility, and the locational characteristics of historical wooden buildings. Subterranean termites make their nests underground or inside timber. Termites move underground and access wooden structures through the lower parts of the buildings, adjacent to the ground. Once termites attack the wooden structures, it not only spoils the authenticity of cultural heritage structure, but also hampers structural stability due to the decrease in the strength of the material. Therefore, it is important to prevent termite damage before it occurs. Chemical treatments are mainly used in Korea to control and prevent the damage. In foreign countries, physical barriers are also used to prevent entry to wooden buildings, along with chemical treatments. Physical barriers involve installing nets or particles that termites cannot pass through in the lower part of the building, around the pipes, and between the edges of the building or exterior walls and interior materials. Advantages of a physical barrier are that it is an eco-friendly method, maintains long-term effect after installation, and does not require the use of chemical treatments. Prior to applying physical barriers, studies into the characteristics of termite species must be undertaken. In this study, we evaluated the minimum passage size that each caste of Reticulitermes speratus kyushuensis can move through. We found that workers, soldiers, and secondary reproductive termites were able to pass through diameters of 0.7mm, 0.9mm, and 1.1mm respectively. Head height of termites was an important factor in determining the minimum passing size. Results from the current study will be used as a basis to design the mesh size for physical barriers to prevent damage by termites in historical wooden buildings in Korea.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.77-83
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• 2010

The damage from the underground termite cannot be discovered with peculiar appearance of building but hollow phenomenon will occur. But there is no case in Korea as a non-destructive measurement of termite activation. Therefore, this research constructs non-destructive diagnostic techniques for wooden cultural properties using microwave detector (Termatrac, Australia). Result of maximun distance were measured 16cm (Pine tree, sensitivity 5, 6), 17cm (Zelkova and Douglas fir, sensitivity 5, 6). These results are expected that can be applied in the field. Result of field test using microwave detector, 33.8% of the wooden cultural properties were damaged by termites, and until now 7.8% (18 buildings) are being damaged in nationwide (total 231 buildings). Based on the above results, microwave detector will be able to be utilized effectively for detecting termite, preventing intrusion in wooden structure, and making full use of monitoring system periodically. In addition, it could be of great worth in preventing insect and microorganism in wooden structure.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.80-86
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• 2022

Termites cause massive damage to wooden architectural heritage structures. Chemical treatments have been commonly used to control them. In foreign countries, physical barriers made of sheet and particles impenetrable to termite are being used as an alternative to the chemical method. To study the efficacy of physical barriers, we investigated the appropriate sand particle size that can prevent the penetration of R. speratus kyushuensis. Upon evaluating the barrier properties of sand with particle sizes ranging from 0.85 to 4.00 mm, the penetration of termites was found to be effectively blocked at a particle size range of 1.00 to 2.80 mm. At smaller particle sizes, termites managed to move the sand particles and build an almost linear mud tube to penetrate the sand layer. At larger particle sizes, the termites could penetrate the sand layer by passing through the sand gaps.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.804-809
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• 2015

Since Korea is home to Reticulitermes speratus, a kind of subterranean termites that prefer dark and humid conditions, there have been increasing damages to wooden structures by termites. One noticeable attribute of Korean subterranean termites is that they prefer than Pinus densiflora, the major construction material for Korean traditional houses. And because wide varieties of termites are distributed all over the world, it is not so easy to choose appropriate control methods depending on specific areas. This necessitates careful applications of the following control methods depending on the kinds of termites: fumigation treatment, soil termiticide, preservatives and insect treatment, termite colony elimination system, chemical treatment, and other physical and biological treatment methods. The purpose of this study is to investigate the control effects of environmentally-friendly Alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ), Copper Azole (CuAZ) and Micronized copper quarter (MCQ) on the termites contributing to the damage of wooden structures. It was found in this study that wood with preservative treatment produced a significantly higher termicidal efficacy than untreated wood.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.177-186
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• 2019

A Termiticide that is applied to the soil treatment method, one of the methods for preventing termites in Korea's wooden cultural properties, will be subjected to the leaching of the effective ingredient in treated soil by the moisture behavior of rain. As a result, termiticide is deteriorated and needs to be reprocessed, but the standards and evaluation methods are nonexistent in korea. Accordingly, a basic indoor evaluation measure was proposed for the evaluation of the effectiveness of the termiticide chamber and the calculation of the reprocessing period. First, avoidance and contact toxicity were assessed at two concentrations of the same termiticide as a method for assessing termiticide suitability. The evaluation of mortality revealed that the soil termiticide used in this experiment was non-repellent, and that death from contact was confirmed. Afterwards, artificial rainfall and soil penetration tests were conducted to determine efficacy of termiticide in soil and the approximate reprocessing period was calculated by comparing the weather data. Persistence evaluation revealed perforation by termites after continuous water exposure of more than about 160 to 170mm of water injection condition. Based on the results, compared with weather data for the last five years, the termiticide of concentration used in this experiment is expected to remain effective for about one year if treated after September. The purpose of this study was to provide basic data for the establishment of a manual for the selection of termiticide for soil treatment by calculating the efficacy for termite mortality and the duration of the leaching effectiveness by water behavior in soil.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.37
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• pp.327-348
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• 2004

In this study, after analyzing several local climate characteristics of South Korea, I validated distribution, invasion, foraging, underground activities, attack season as ecological characteristics and also temperature, relative humidity, and tree species as preference characteristics of Korean termites (Reticulitermes speratus kyushuensis Morimoto). Especially, southern part of the Korean peninsula is a suitable area for inhabitation and motion of termites holding same ecological characteristic like R. speratus kyushuensis. Busan is a neighboring district at field distribution north limiting temperature of Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki and Chuncheon is a passing area through the Korean Peninsula of field distribution north limiting temperature of Reticulitermes speratus Kolbe. The termite attack of wood devices was about 34.5% for 3 years in the forest of Jongmyo. Although the attack rate of termite increased each year, the detection rate decreased and the missing rate was high by degrees. I confirmed a foraging habits which is a part of termite colony was a role of continuous decomposition and another was a role of new food hunt as experimental results. The foraging termites were found under ground at Jongmyo in Seoul from April to November in the 2001 and the most active period was on July and August. The termite invasion rate of bait station increased in every monitoring. Through the increasing attack rate of bait station during 2nd monitoring (November, 2000) and 3rd monitoring(March, 2001), I confirmed that termites moved into the deep underground in winter, and were working continuously to forage. R. speratus kyushuensis inhabiting at the Korean Peninsula is a species which has food consumption rate with higher temperature. The termite revealed the greatest amount of food(filter paper) at $30^{\circ}C$(90% RH), but showed increasing death rate at over $32^{\circ}C$. Also, survival rate of this termite was 97% at 84% RH($30^{\circ}C$), but killed 100% at 52% RH($30^{\circ}C$) and 70% RH($30^{\circ}C$). For wood feeding, this was observed the preference in a pine tree(Pinus densiflora) above all others. Survival of termites was high(87%) at a pine tree, but low(13.5%) at a paulownia tree(Paulownia coreana). In this study, I presented the biological characteristic of termite(R. speratus kyushuensis Morimoto) and confirmed the deterioration degree of termite on wooden cultural heritage in Korea. Depending on climate and soil temperature, each area in the southern part of the Korea Peninsula, has some different active period and different distribution of R. speratus kyushensis. With these results, I expect that this report helps to prepare the integrated pest management(IPM) of the termite on wooden cultural heritage in Korea, and it may help to reduce the economical loss from termite damage in Korea.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.333-338
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• 2020

Dye markers are used in the study of subterranean termites to determine colony territories and population sizes. Dyes not only allow the study of termite biology, but can also be used for control purposes. Although Reticulitermes speratus kyushuensis causes damage to wooden historical properties in Korea, the dye markers have not been applied. Therefore, we evaluated the applicability of Nile Blue A dye for R. s. kyushuensis. Filter papers dyed with concentrations of 0.05%, 0.10%, and 0.25% (w/w) were each fed to termite populations through a no-choice feeding test for 1, 3, or 7 days. After 4 weeks, the survival rate, dyeing rate, and maintenance of dyeing were recorded. The results showed high survival rates with lower dye concentrations and shorter feeding periods. Among the combinations of concentrations and days, high survival rates, dyeing rates, and dyeing maintenance periods were found at concentrations of 0.05% and 0.10% for 3 days of feeding. These maximized the survivorship and visibility. The results from the current study can be applied to investigate the ecology and control of R. s. kyushuensis in both the laboratory and field.