Ecological studies of termites and mushroom growing termites in lower mixed deciduous forest at Kanchanaburi Research Station

Symbiosis association among the taxa of mushroom growing termites and termites mushroom taxa were investigated at natural termites mushroom habitat of Wang Dong District, Kanchanaburi province. With an employed of bait trap stations or Sentricon station devised for subterranean termites monitoring methods. The types of food substrates which contained within the bait trap container which reflected on bait preference and availability of substrates as the food were found as the limited factors of the captured capability of bait trap stations. Comparative the natural substrates preference for mushroom growing termites in population monitoring bait traps, the carton paper substrates were given higher the number of captured termites over the compared rotten - wood (Dipterocarpus alatus) one. Duration of bait stations placement at 15th days was given the higher number of termites captured in bait traps than at 30th days. The species composition of termites taxa were identified as Hypotermes makhamensis, Macrotermes gilvus, Microcerotermes crassus, Coptotermes gestroi and Globitermes sulphureus. Among them, Hypotermes makhamensis and Macrotermes gilvus were recorded as fungus growing termites. It was also noted that Hypotermes makhamensis was occurred as the dominant species and appeared as the first finding associated with termites mushroom Termitomyces striatus and Termitomyces fuliginosus without the previously recorded.