Field studies were conducted at Chichijima (Ogasawara Islands, Tokyo) to determine the effectiveness of a termite bait system (commercial name: Sentricon* system) containing hexaflumuron (Insect Growth Regulator: IGR) in the elimination of subterranean termite (Coptotermes formosanus) colonies. The level of subterranean termite activity on Ogasawara Islands is high resulting in extensive damage to wooden houses. In this study, 2 houses were established as monitoring/test sites. At each house 6 to 17 Sentricon stations were installed and fitted with monitoring devices made of the sap wood of southern yellow pine. When termites were found in the stations, the wooden monitoring devices were replaced with bait tubes containing a bait matrix treated with the IGR. Bait tube replacement occurred in approximately a 2-week cycle. Following the third replacement of bait tube, termites' feeding stopped and the bait tubes were replaced with wooden monitoring devices. The stations were attacked again by termites from a new colony 4 months after the elimination of the original colony. All feeding activities ceased in an additional 5 months of baiting. This termite reappearance seemed to be due to the high level of termite activity in Ogasawara Islands.

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