Termite Trail-Following Substance, Isolation and Purification from Reticttlitermes virginicus and Fungus-Infected Wood12

Abstract

The termite trail-following substance was isolated and purified from Reticulitermes virginicus (Banks) and wood infected by the fungus Lenzites trabea Pers. ex Fr. The purification procedures that gave the most consistent result with high yields were, in the order of successive steps: extraction in n-pentane, acid and alkaline washing, co-distillation with pure hydrocarbon mixture, column, thin-layer and 2 gas chromatographic steps. Judged by the results of chromatographic and spectroscopic analyses, the active principle of the trail-following substance from the termite appeared to be identical to that from the wood infected by L. trabea.