Understanding molting process in subterranean termites is a critical step to implement successful control program as chitin synthesis inhibitor baits interfere molting process of termites. In the present study, we report detailed molting process in Reticulitermes speratus kyushuensis Morimoto, 1968 that foraging workers start fasting period 5 days after they were collected and finished their entire molting process for the next 5 to 6 days. Ecdysis took less than an hour, specifically 9.2 ± 4.9 minutes from jack-knife posture to separation of the antenna and 36.6 ± 8.5 minutes from separation of the antenna to regain mobility. We believed relatively short time window of molting process in R. speratus kyushuensis may affect lengthy colony elimination time.

Abstract
Introduction
Materials and Methods
    1. Termite collectionForaging population of
    2. Pre-molt fasting experiments
    3. Observation between pre molt fasting and ecdysis
    4. Observation on ecdysis
Results and Discussion
Acknowledgments
References

• Kuk-Hyun Lim(Undergraduate, Department of Life Science & Environmental biochemistry, Pusan National University)
• Sang-Bin Lee(Department of Entomology and Nematology, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida)
• Gi-Beom Park(Undergraduate, Department of Life Science & Environmental biochemistry, Pusan National University)
• Jae-Yi Kim(Undergraduate, Department of Life Science & Environmental biochemistry, Pusan National University)
• Jae-Hak Kim(Researcher, Department of Disaster & Safety Management, Soongsil University)
• Chong-Soo Cheung(Professor, Department of Disaster & Safety Management, Soongsil University)
• Hyean-Cheal Park(Professor, Department of Life Science & Environmental biochemistry, Pusan National University) Corresponding author