Description
Data Records
The data in this occurrence resource has been published as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A), which is a standardized format for sharing biodiversity data as a set of one or more data tables. The core data table contains 1,832 records.
This IPT archives the data and thus serves as the data repository. The data and resource metadata are available for download in the downloads section. The versions table lists other versions of the resource that have been made publicly available and allows tracking changes made to the resource over time.
Versions
The table below shows only published versions of the resource that are publicly accessible.
How to cite
Researchers should cite this work as follows:
Borges P A V, Bettencourt S, Vargas D, Melo J, Medeiros R, Rodrigues A (2025). Monitoring Termites in the Azores Archipelago: A Comprehensive Dataset (2011–2024). Version 1.2. Universidade dos Açores. Occurrence dataset. http://ipt.gbif.pt/ipt/resource?r=termites_scit&v=1.2
Rights
Researchers should respect the following rights statement:
The publisher and rights holder of this work is Universidade dos Açores. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY 4.0) License.
GBIF Registration
This resource has been registered with GBIF, and assigned the following GBIF UUID: 781731ba-9e43-434a-9950-38ac37b3959f. Universidade dos Açores publishes this resource, and is itself registered in GBIF as a data publisher endorsed by GBIF Portugal.
Keywords
Occurrence; Observation; Urban Termites; Azores; Monitoring
Contacts
- Associate Professor
- School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze
- +351968933212
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8448-7623
- Originator
- Technician
- Rua Cônsul Dabney, Colónia Alemã, Apartado 140
- Originator
- Technician
- Rua Cônsul Dabney, Colónia Alemã, Apartado 140
- Originator
- Technician
- Rua Cônsul Dabney, Colónia Alemã, Apartado 140
- Originator
- Technician
- Rua Cônsul Dabney, Colónia Alemã, Apartado 140
- Originator
- Rua Cônsul Dabney, Colónia Alemã, Apartado 140
Geographic Coverage
Six Islands were surveyed in Azores archipelago (Faial, Pico, São Jorge, Terceira, São Miguel, Santa Maria)
| Bounding Coordinates | South West [36.938, -28.643], North East [38.782, -25.012] |
|---|
Taxonomic Coverage
Four species of termites belonging to two families were monitored: the Drywood termite Cryptotermes brevis (Walker, 1853), the Yellownecked dry-wood termite Kalotermes flavicollis (Fabricius, 1793), the European subterranean termite Reticulitermes grassei Clément, 1978 and Eastern subterranean termite Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar, 1837).
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Arthropoda |
| Class | Insecta |
| Order | Blattodea |
| Family | Rhinotermitidae, Kalotermitidae |
Temporal Coverage
| Start Date / End Date | 2011-02-16 / 2024-12-27 |
|---|
Project Data
In 2022, a monitoring program was conducted with the aim of assessing the status of the West Indian drywood termite (Cryptotermes brevis Walker, 1853) throughout the entire archipelago; the Iberian subterranean termite (Reticulitermes grassei Clément, 1978) on Faial Island, in the parish of Angústias; and the Eastern American subterranean termite (Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar, 1837)) on Terceira Island, in the parish of Lajes. This monitoring was carried out by placing baited stations on every island of the Azores. Additionally, the Termite Infestation Certification System (Sistema de Certificação de Infestação por Térmitas – SCIT) was analyzed, mapping a total of 1,882 certificates that contained evidence of insect damage
| Title | Monitoring of urban termites in Azorean Islands |
|---|---|
| Identifier | TERMITES-SCIT |
| Funding | This research was funded by the Azorean Government. The work of Paulo A. V. Borges was funded by FCT through national and European funds by UID/00329/2023 - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (CE3C) |
| Study Area Description | All the Azorean Islands (Portugal) were surveyed. |
| Design Description | This study was conducted on the nine islands of the Azorean Archipelago, in all municipalities, through the distribution of 1,314 external chromotropic traps, placed in street lamps. Of these, 300 were placed on Terceira Island, 401 on São Miguel, 151 on São Jorge, 92 on Santa Maria, 150 on Pico, 40 on Graciosa, 50 on Flores, 100 on Faial, and 30 on Corvo. In addition , the Termite Infestation Certification System (Sistema de Certificação de Infestação por Térmitas – SCIT) was analyzed, mapping a total of 1,882 certificates that contained evidence of insect damage. |
The personnel involved in the project:
- Author
- Author
- Author
- Author
- Author
Sampling Methods
Chromotropic Light Trap Network For the execution of this sampling and monitoring, external traps were placed on public lighting poles and fixtures, in collaboration with the Island Environment and Climate Change Services of the nine islands of the Azores, under the Regional Secretariat for Environment and Climate Change. The traps used consist of a yellow, chromotropic, sticky plastic material (measuring 25 × 20 cm) and were attached beneath the public lighting fixture. The traps were deployed during April and retrieved at the end of September, and were subsequently analyzed by the Regional Secretariat for Environment and Climate Change to confirm the presence or absence of alates (winged, flight-capable) termites. Monitoring was carried out by capturing winged individuals in the traps and performing counts. Infestation Inspection Certificates (SCIT) Since 2011, every home, commercial building or public facility offered for sale or rent in designated “at‐risk” parishes must present a valid Termite Infestation Inspection Certificate (“SCIT”). Trained technicians—graduates of the University of the Azores’ dedicated pest-inspection course—survey interior woodwork (floors, door‐ and window‐frames, skirting boards), attics and crawl-spaces for six key signs of infestation (live insects, alate wings, mud tubes, frass, damage galleries and feeding holes). Results are logged centrally, driving annual updates of geographic risk maps used by municipalities to target preventive treatments and to inform prospective buyers.
| Study Extent | This study was conducted on the nine islands of the Azorean Archipelago, in all municipalities. |
|---|---|
| Quality Control | The identification of the four termite species was performed by training experts. Data on Infestation Inspection Certificates (SCIT) is presemted with a lower reolution for the owners privacy reasons. |
Method step description:
- The taxonomic nomenclature follows Borges et al. (2022)
Bibliographic Citations
- Austin, J.W., Szalanski, A., Myles, T.M., Borges, P.A.V., Nunes, L. & Scheffrahn, R.H. (2012). First record of Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) from Terceira Island (Azores, Portugal). Florida Entomologist, 95: 196-198. DOI:10.1653/024.095.0131
- Borges, P.A.V., Guerreiro, O., Ponte, N.B., Borges, A., Ferreira, F., Ferreira, M.T., Nunes, L., Marcos, R.S., Arroz, A., Scheffrahn, R.H. & Myles, T.G. (2014). Cryptotermes brevis (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae) in the Azores: Lessons after 2 yr of monitoring in the archipelago. Journal of Insect Science, 14(172): 1-7. DOI:10.1093/jisesa/ieu034
- Borges, P. A. V., Lamelas-López, L., Assing, V. & Schülke, M. (2022). New records, detailed distribution and abundance of rove-beetles (Insecta, Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) collected between 1990 and 2015 in Azores (Portugal) with an updated checklist. Biodiversity Data Journal, 10: e78896. DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.10.e78896
- Guerreiro, O., Cardoso, P., Ferreira, J.M., Ferreira, M.T. & Borges, P.A.V. (2014). Potential distribution and cost estimation of the damage caused by Cryptotermes brevis (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae) in the Azores. Journal of Economic Entomology, 107: 1554-1562. DOI: 10.1603/EC13501
Additional Metadata
| Acknowledgements | This research was funded by the Azorean Government. The work of Paulo A. V. Borges was funded by FCT through national and European funds by UID/00329/2023 - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (CE3C) |
|---|---|
| Introduction | In the Azores archipelago, our understanding of termite diversity and their ecological and economic impacts has only recently begun to coalesce. Four invasive species now dominate urban and peri-urban environments: the Yellownecked dry-wood termite Kalotermes flavicollis (Fabricius, 1793), native to the Mediterranean basin and capable of infesting live branches and, under high‐moisture conditions, structural timbers with colonies of up to 1,000 individuals (Ferreira et al. 2013); the dry‐wood termite Cryptotermes brevis (Walker, 1853), the most destructive dry‐wood species in the Caribbean, able to tolerate low moisture and to establish hundreds of small colonies within a single piece of timber (Ferreira et al. 2013; Guerreiro et al., 2014); and two subterranean termites Reticulitermes grassei Clément, 1978, confined so far to the city of Horta (Faial Island), where it builds extensive soil nests and can form multinucleate colonies comprising millions of individuals (Ferreira et al., 2013; Hernández-Teixidor et al., 2024) and Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar, 1837) restricted so far to Terceira Island (Austin et al., 2012) |
| Getting Started | We used a single Occurrence Table with event and occurrence data applying Darwin Core Standards |
| Purpose | Monitoring four species of termites (the Drywood termite Cryptotermes brevis (Walker, 1853), the Yellownecked dry-wood termite Kalotermes flavicollis (Fabricius, 1793), the European subterranean termite Reticulitermes grassei Clément, 1978 and Eastern subterranean termite Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar, 1837)) in the Azorean Islands. |
| Alternative Identifiers | 781731ba-9e43-434a-9950-38ac37b3959f |
| http://ipt.gbif.pt/ipt/resource?r=termites_scit |