“The main strategy for a successful termite control and management in Azores implies the implementation of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan. Thus, I will conduct research that will allow the improvement of a number of techniques for fighting the spread of termite species using a multidisciplinary approach and sustainable environmental strategies.

• Monitoring of areas affected by all the termite species occurring in the Azorean archipelago;
  • Monitor the drywood termite Cryptotermes brevis using chromotropic sticky traps in the buildings inside its known area of distribution;
  • Monitor the subterranean termites Reticulitermes grassei and R. flavipes within its known area of distribution, using subterranean traps and different attracting baits;
  • Monitor the dampwood termite Kalotermes flavicollis using chromotropic sticky traps in Terceira island;
• Develop and apply theoretical models to understand the evolution and spread of termite species;
  • Simulation of the probability of occurrence of species using ecological niche models for the species Reticulitermes grassei, R. flavipes, Kalotermes flavicollis (species present in the Azores) and a potential new invasive termite species, Coptotermes formosanus;
  • Improvement of the Cellular Automata Model developed in Guerreiro (2009) to simulate the spread of the C. brevis in the major cities of the Azorean archipelago
  • Development of a model to determine the climate influence on the swarming of the species C. brevis;
• Regarding the termite C. brevis, to detect, analyse and identify semiochemicals that might act upon the behaviour and/or physiology of this serious and widespread pest, namely:
• • To collect adults during the aerial phase, to obtain virgin insects as well as freshly mated ones.
  • To extract, analyse and identify the volatile substances emitted by these insects, that might act as pheromones.
  • To test the effect of some of these substances upon the colonization behaviour of C. brevis, aiming at their potential use to bait traps for the capture of alates.
• To study the effect of some natural insecticides containing essential oils, to protect wood structures, from termite colonisation by C. brevis, namely:
  • To compare the efficiency of some of these insecticides, in preventing the colonization of wood by termites.
  • For the most successful ones, to collect, analyse and identify the volatile substances emitted by the wood after application of the insecticides.
  • To test the effect of these substances upon the behaviour of C. brevis.
• Contribute for the implementation of an Urban Integrate Pest Management (IPM) for the management of Azorean termite species.”