Toxicity, behavior impairment, and repellence of essential oils from pepper-rosmarin and patchouli to termites

Abstract Plant essential oils are potential sources of insecticidal compounds, but have rarely been explored for their effect on termites. In the present study, we assessed the chemical composition of essential oils of L ippia sidoides C ham. (pepper‐rosmarin; V erbenaceae) and P ogostemon cablin ( B lanco) B enth. (patchouli; L amiacaeae) and evaluated their toxicity, behavioral impairment, and repellence to termite species of the genera A mitermes and M icrocerotermes (Isoptera: T ermitidae: T ermitinae). The main components of essential oils of L . sidoides and P . cablin were thymol (44.6%) and patchouli alcohol (36.6%), respectively. The essential oil of P . cablin was most potent against A mitermes cf. amifer S ilvestri and had the lowest LD 50 (0.63 μg mg −1 ). There was no difference in toxicity for M icrocerotermes indistinctus M athews between the essential oils of L . sidoides ( LD 50 = 1.49 μg mg −1 ) and P . cablin ( LD 50 = 1.67 μg mg −1 ). P ogostemon cablin essential oil was the most toxic to M . indistinctus ( LC 50 = 0.32 μl ml −1 ) and A . cf. amifer ( LC 50 = 0.29 μl ml −1 ). The essential oils analyzed exhibited high toxicity and repellence to the termites, in addition to reducing behavioral interactions among individuals, thus constituting potential termiticides.