——Preliminary investigation report on termite damage in the surrounding mountains and forests of Meicheng
Survey time:November 2023.
Survey Location:The surrounding mountains and forests of Meicheng (Baisui Mountain, Tianbogong, Meihua Mountain, Jima Village).
Purpose of the survey:A preliminary understanding of the termite hazards in the surrounding forests of Meicheng provides a reference for the protection of forest trees and buildings in Meicheng, especially the national, provincial and municipal cultural relics protection units from termite damage.
Survey Results:
The degree of termite damage in the mountains and forests around Meicheng exceeded expectations, and more than 50% of the trees in the local areas of Baisui Mountain and Meihua Mountain (the side adjacent to Meicheng, below the middle of the mountain) were found to have ant mud on the trunkThe ant road on the arbor reaches a maximum of more than 5 meters;Some trees in Baisui Mountain, Tianbogong and Meihua Mountain have died, and the damage is greatThe damaged trees in the 100-year-old mountain have a tendency to age;Ant mud was found in almost all tree species (including shrubs).
The general situation of the damage to each mountain forest is as follows:
1. Overview of the damage to the 100-year-old mountain forest:
1. There are a wide range of damaged tree species affected by termites and other insects in Baisui Mountain, not limited to pine trees and fir trees infected by pine wood nematodes;The damage was particularly severe, and the number of trees that died from insect damage was relatively large, especially on the side near Meicheng, and even small trees were not spared. The large number of infected species, juvenile and lethality are important characteristics of tree insect pests in Baisui Mountain.
The trunk of the tiny longan tree is covered with a layer of ant mud.
2. It is roughly estimated that the side of Baisui Mountain near Meicheng, below the halfway up the mountain, more than half of the bark surface has flaky or linear ant mud, there are cavities inside, and some trunks are covered with a layer of ant mud. The bark around the trunk of some trees has been hollowed out by termites, causing serious deaths.
3. The street trees next to the road are not spared, and swarms of termites can be seen when the ant mud is turned overTrees with a high degree of damage have severe bark erosion, and some of them have damaged the core (xylem).
4. Next to the steps below the mid-level avenue, the ant road on the camphor tree is up to more than 5 meters.
5. There are ant activities on the surface of the bark of some trees, and when you dig up the ant mud on the trunk, you find that there are also swarms of termites inside.
6. In densely wooded, dark and damp places near the valley, termite damage is more serious.
In general, the trees near the foot of the mountain have a large proportion of damage and a deep degree of damage, and the higher you go, the lower the damage proportion and the smaller the damage degree.
2. Overview of the damage to the mountains and forests of Meihua Mountain:
1. On the side (east) of Meihua Mountain near Meicheng, below the middle of the mountain, it is roughly estimated that more than 50% of the woody plants (including shrubs) have ant mud on the trees, and some trees that have not been planted for a long time also have insect moths. There are a wide range of affected tree species, not limited to pine trees infected by pine wood nematodes.
2. Some tall wild trees near the mid-levels were seriously damaged, and a large number of termites were found under the ant mud, and some trees had died.
3. Serious termite-eaten termites were also found in pomelo trees, indicating that the ether aromatic oil of Rutaceae plants could not resist termites.
4. According to rough estimates, the proportion of trees damaged is about 10% higher than that of the side of Meicheng.
5. In the Overseas Chinese Middle School in Meixian District, the trees in the Geographical Park and Biological Park near Meihua Mountain are obviously harmed by termites, and there is also ant mud under the shrub fence next to the Science Museum, and the trees in other places rarely see ant mud.
On the slope above the square, most of the camphor trees have more or less ant mud.
3. Overview of the damage to Tianbogong Mountain Forest:
1. About half of the trunks of the big trees on Tianbogong have more or less ant mud on the surface, most of the trees are still alive temporarily, and some pine trees are dead (may be caused by pine wood nematodes).
2. The ant mud on the trunk all starts from the base of the trunk, some form a linear or dendritic ant path, and some are flakes or even wrap the entire trunk.
3. The height of ant mud from the ground ranges from a few centimeters to three or four meters, and the ant road of a few trees extends to a position of more than 4 meters from the ground, and most of the leaves at the top of the tree are still green, and some camphor trees have black spots on the leaves (the specific reason is to be investigated).
5. There is no obvious preference for tree species in termite damage, and none of the tree species with special smells such as lauraceae, eucalyptus, and nightshade are spared, not to mention other tree species.
Fourth, the general situation of the damage to the mountain forest of Ji's village:
Jixian Village is located outside the highway next to Meixian Country Garden and Meixian District Foreign Chinese School).
1. Chicken village is a typical pine mountain, and pine is a typical dominant species in the community, accounting for six or seven percent of the trees. What is strange is that the pine wood nematode damage in the neighboring Meihua Mountain is not serious, and it is rare to see dead pine trees that turn yellow and red, and there are not many damaged trunks and branches sealed with nylon film.
2. Camphor trees are more seriously eaten by insects than pine trees.
3. Carefully observe the cement steps covered with pine needles, and find that most of the steps have insect-eaten holes on the façade. Digging open the surface of the steps that have been corroded by termites will reveal the "true face" of the cement of "Bai Sensen".
4. The phenomenon of termites and insects in the chicken village is more on the old trees at the foot of the mountain and the camphor trees near the foot of the mountain, and there is less ant mud on the trunks of pine trees and lotus trees above the middle of the mountain.
The above survey is not a comprehensive census and may have some errors.
Analysis of results:
1. The degree of termite damage in the mountains and forests around Meicheng exceeded expectations, and more than half of the trees in the local area (adjacent to Meicheng, below the middle of the mountain) were found to have ant mud on the trunks, and some trees in Baisui Mountain and Meihua Mountain have died. The termite disaster is serious, and the buildings in Meicheng, especially the characteristic ancient houses, the former residences of celebrities, and the key cultural relics protection units, may cause irreversible and irreparable major damage, which needs to be paid great attention to by relevant departments.
2. In the long-term evolution process, termites have formed a super reproductive ability and adaptability. The secreted formic acid can even be eaten off by the cement board. "A thousand miles of embankment, collapsed in an anthill!"If two or three percent of Meizhou's many reservoirs and dams are hollowed out by termites, the consequences will be unimaginable!
There are ant mud on the façade of many cement steps up the hill in Ji's Village, and termites in the moist ant mud.
3. The ant road of termites is built with mud and termite secretions, which has a strong water retention and moisturizing effect, and the ant road extends to a height of four or five meters, which increases the difficulty of termite control.
3. There seems to be a positive correlation between the number of trees on ant mud and the cutting of trees taken to kill pine wood nematodes. Baisui Mountain, Tianbogong and Meihua Mountain had a more serious pine wood nematode damage a few years ago, and measures were taken to cut down trees and pile piles before the new crown epidemic, and the damage of termites is also more serious at present.
4. The degree of harm of pine wood nematodes seems to be disproportionate to the proportion of pine trees in the biological community, which is a strange phenomenon. Whether it is an individual case or another reason needs to be further investigated.
Survey Recommendations:
1. It is recommended that the relevant departments actively and carefully study the countermeasures to kill termites, and if necessary, they can contact the Institute of Entomology and experts in ecology to discuss together, and strive to formulate a set of relatively stable and comprehensive anti-termite programs as soon as possible.
When doctors in large hospitals encounter difficult patients with multiple serious diseases at the same time, the attending doctors will consult with experts from different departments, and finally summarize a set of more stable plans based on everyone's opinions. Is the prevention and control of pine wood nematodes, red fire ants and termites also learn from the doctor's practice, comprehensively consider from the perspective of ecology, invite experts from different research directions to jointly study, weigh the pros and cons, and comprehensively control it?）
2. Vigorously publicize the knowledge of termite prevention and control to the majority of Meizhou citizens, and fight a people's war of mobilizing the whole people to eliminate termites.
3. After cutting down the trees that are infected with termites or pine wood nematodes and dying, all the trunks and branches are packed and transported to the garbage incineration power plant for incineration, which not only uses waste, saves energy, but also kills termites, red fire ants and pine wood nematodes to the greatest extent.
4. All the waste wood eaten by termites in Meizhou urban area is sealed and packed and transported to the garbage incineration power plant for incineration to prevent termite reproduction and spread.
5. Strictly prevent urban and road greening seedlings from transplanting with insects and eggs, so as not to cause the rapid and large-scale spread of termites.
Termite-eaten cement steps inside.
Additional Notes:
1. I am not a pest control professional, and this investigation report is a preliminary survey of the surrounding mountains and forests in Meizhou. Due to manpower and time constraints, this survey only made a rough estimate of the part above the ground of several mountains and forests around Meicheng, and the wild and planted trees were not counted separately, and the statistics may include a small number of trees transplanted in the past one or two years The trunks are coated with yellow mud.
3. The investigator can provide ** or ** of termites and ant mud taken at the scene.
4. The investigator conducts the investigation of pests and diseases for the first time and writes the investigation report for the first time, and lacks experience and inevitably has shortcomings. This report is only for the reference of relevant departments, if there is any error, we will also hope that Haihan and the results of the field investigation and statistics of professionals shall prevail.
Many camphor trees have termite mud on them.
Termite nests underneath shrubs.