Abstract: In order to understand the behaviors of grooming and trophallaxis in termite and apply the related knowledge to the control of termite, the grooming and trophallaxis of the Chinese subterranean termite, Reticulitermes aculabialis, were qualitatively observed and quantitatively measured. The results showed that grooming behaviors were performed mainly by 4-instar and above workers. Although 4-6 instar nymphs could also take part in grooming, they were less active than those of 4-instar and above workers. Grooming usually occupied a proportion of 1.6% time in all ordinary behaviors during 24 hours and, the frequency and session length of grooming would increase whenever the body surface was contaminated with other materials, including dye or fungus spores. The session length of grooming could account for up to 6.5% when termites were contaminated by dye. Workers were the most active castes in trophallaxis and, all the other castes could receive foods from workers. The transfer of dyed food from donors to recipients among 6-instar and above workers were measured in six days. The results showed that 5.86% of dyed food was transferred from donors to recipients in 24 hours, and the amounts of dyed food in the guts of donors and recipients were almost same in 48 hours. Afterwards, dyed food in both donors and recipients reduced over time, continually with less being kept in recipients than in donors during the experimental period. These results suggested that the pattern of distribution of materials via trophallaxis in R. aculabialis was trophallactic cascade.

Key words: drought stress, seed germination., salicylic acid