Brian T. Forschler Professor Entomology
Portrait of Brian T. Forschler
Contact Information bfor@uga.edu 706-542-4282 706-542-2279
Mailing Address Athens, CAES Campus 413 Biological Sciences Building, Athens, GA 30602

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Portrait of Brian T. Forschler

Brian has spent 26 years as Principal Investigator for the Household and Structural Entomology Research Program at the University of Georgia. He has taught courses on Urban Entomology and IPM at the undergraduate and graduate level for over 16 years and acted as major advisor for 11 post-doctoral associates, 6 PhD, 12 Masters, and directed studies for 18 undergraduates in addition to sitting on 16 student advisory and/or reading committees. Forschler is Chairperson for the Termiticide Scientific Review Panel, a member of the ASPCRO Termiticide Label Review Committee, and Georgia Department of Agriculture Structural Pest Control Commission. He has had cooperative research agreements with Madihol University in Bangkok, Thailand, The RISH institute at Kyoto University, the BAM Institute in Berlin, Germany and the Vietnam Academy for Water Resources in Hanoi, Vietnam. Forschler also has organized numerous national and international symposia on urban insect pest biology and management, is author of over 100 scientific and popular press articles on household and structural insect pests, and has conducted training sessions for industry and regulatory officials in the United States, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

Miscellaneous

Termite Behavior Videos

UGA: Beat the Bad Bugs: Study Entomology - College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Matrix Key for Reticulitermes spp. of Georgia:
Applet Version
Key Server Version


Selected Publications

Forschler, B. T. 1994. Fluorescent spray paint as a topical marker on subterranean termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). Sociobiology 24: 27-38. PDF file

Forschler, B. T. 1994. Survivorship and tunneling activity of Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) in response to termiticide soil barriers with and without gaps of untreated soil. Journal of Entomological Science 29: 43-54. PDF file

Forschler, B. T. and G. Henderson. 1995. Subterranean termite behavioral reaction to water and survival of inundation: implications for field populations. Environmental Entomology 24: 1592-1597. PDF file

Forschler, B. T. 1996. Incidence of feeding by the eastern subterrandean termite (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) in laboratory bioassay. Sociobiology 28: 265-273. PDF file

Forschler, B. T. and M. L. Townsend. 1996. Mortality of eastern subterranean termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) exposed to four soils treated with termiticides. Journal of Economic Entomology 89: 678-681. PDF file

Forschler, B. T. 1996. Baiting Reticulitermes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) field colonies with abamectin and zinc borate-treated cellulose in Georgia. Sociobiology 28: 459-484. PDF file

Forschler, B. T. and M. L. Townsend. 1996. Mark-release-recapture estimates of Reticulitermes spp. (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) colony foraging populations from Georgia, U.S.A. Environmental Entomology 25: 952-962. PDF file

Polizzi, J. M. and B. T. Forschler. 1998. Intra- and interspecific agonism in Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) and R. virginicus (Banks) and effects of arena and group size in laboratory assays. Insectes Sociaux 45: 43-49. PDF file

Forschler, B. T. 1998. Subterranean termite biology in relation to prevention and removal of structural infestation. In NPCA Research Report on Subterranean Termites, pp. 31-51. NPCA, Dunn Loring, VA.

Polizzi, J. M. and B. T. Forschler. 1999. Lack of preference by Reticulitermes spp. (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) for termite feeding stations with previous termite exposure. Journal of Agricultural Urban Entomology 16: 197-205. PDF file

Jenkins, T. M., C. J. Basten, S. Kresovich, and B. T. Forschler. 1999. Mitochondrial gene sequence questions Reticulitermes sp. social structure (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). Sociobiology 34: 161-170. PDF file

Forschler, B. T. and T. M. Jenkins. 1999. Evaluation of subterranean termite biology using genetic, chemotaxonomic, and morphometric markers and ecological data: a testimonial for multidisciplinary efforts. Trends in Entomology 2: 72-80. PDF file

Forschler, B. T. and W. H. Robinson. 1999. Ants and subterranean termites in the urban environment: the terminology of population management control tactics. Proc. 3rd International Conf. on Urban Pests (W.H. Robinson, F. Rettich and G.W. Rambo, eds.), pp. 589-595. Executive Committee of the International Conference on Urban Pests. Graficke zavocy Hronov, Prague, Czech Republic. PDF file

Polizzi, J. M. and B. T. Forschler. 1999. Factors that affect aggression among the worker caste of Reticulitermes spp. subterranean termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). Journal of Insect Behavior 12: 133-146. PDF file

Forschler, B. T., J. Harron and T. M. Jenkins. 2000. Case histories involving the Formosan subterranean termite in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Sociobiology 37: 311-322. PDF file

Thorne, B. L. and B. T. Forschler. 2000. Criteria for assessing efficacy of stand-alone termite bait treatments at structures. Sociobiology 36: 245-255. PDF file

Forschler, B. T. and T. M. Jenkins. 2000. Subterranean termites in the urban landscape: Understanding their social structure is the key to successfully implementing population management using bait technology. Urban Ecosystems 4: 233-253.

Jenkins, T. M., M. I. Haverty, C. J. Basten, L. J. Nelson, M. Page, and B. T. Forschler. 2000. Correlation of mitochondrial haplotypes with cuticular hydrocarbon phenotypes of sympatric Reticulitermes species from the southeastern United States. Journal of Chemical Ecology 26: 1525-1542. PDF file

Pitts-Singer, T. L. and B. T. Forschler. 2000. Influence of guidelines and passageways on tunneling behavior of Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) and R. virginicus (Banks) (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). Journal of Insect Behavior 13: 273-290. PDF file

Hu, J. and B.T. Forschler. 2001. Sample size requirement in the study of subterranean termite (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) J. Entomol. Sci. 46: 23-29. PDF File

Jenkins, T. M., R. E. Dean, R. Verkerk, and B. T. Forschler. 2001. Phylogenetic analyses of two mitochondrial genes and one nuclear intron region illuminate European subterranean termite (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) gene flow, taxonomy, and introduction dynamics. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 20: 286-293. PDF file

Scheffrahn, R. H., N-Y. Su, J. A. Chase, and B. T. Forschler. 2001. New termite (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae, Rhinotermitidae) records from Georgia. Journal of Entomological Science 36: 109-113. PDF file

Forschler, B. T. 2003. Introduction to the symposium on IPM in urban entomology. Journal of Entomological Science 38: 149-150. PDF file

Grube. S. and B.T. Forschler. 2004. Census of monogyne and polygyne laboratory colonies illuminates the dynamics of population growth in Reticulitermes flavipes Kollar (Isoptera; Rhinotermitidae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 97: 466-475 PDF file

Lewis, J.L. and B.T. Forschler. 2004. Nitrogen-sparged media extends life span of symbiotic protests found in subterranean termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae), providing more time for microscopic examination. Environ. Entomol.33: 1145- 1150. PDF file

Arquette, T.J., D.E. Champagne, M.R. Brown, B.T. Forschler. 2005. Evaluation of novel and traditional measures for vigor of laboratory-cultured termites, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar). Journal of Insect Physiology. 52: 51-66. PDF file

Arquette, T.J. and B.T. Forschler. 2006. Survey of metabolic reserves, stored uric acid, and water content from field populations of subterranean termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) from Georgia. J. Econ. Entomol. 99: 873-878. PDF file

Lewis, J.L. and B.T. Forschler. 2006. A Non-Dichotomous key to the protist in Reticulitermes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 99: 1028-1033. PDF file

Jenkins, T.M.,  S.C. Jones, C.-Y. Lee, B.T. Forschler, Z. Chen, G. Lopez-Martinez, N.T. Gallagher, G. Brown, M. Neal, B. Thistleton, S.  Kleinschmidt. 2007.  Phylogeography illuminates maternal origins of exotic Coptotermes gestroi (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae).  Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.  42: 612-621. PDF file

Forschler, B.T., S.C. Jones, D. Suiter, R. Gold, G. Henderson, B. Kard, P. Baker, D. Jackson, and H. Howel. 2007. Subterranean termite management: Still an ongoing process. Pest Control Magazine 75(3): 88-95. PDF file

Whitman, J. G. and B. T. Forschler. 2007. Observational notes on short-lived and infrequent behaviors dislayed by Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). Annals of Entomological Society of America 100: 763-771. PDF file

Sillam-Dusses, D. and B.T. Forschler. 2010. A dominant and undescribed species of Reticulitermes in Sapelo Island (Georgia, USA). Sociobiology. 56: 137-147. PDF file

Hu, J. and B.T. Forschler. 2011. Sex ratio’s in field populations of Reticulitermes spp. (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) on Sapelo Island, Georgia, USA. Sociobiology.57: 555-563. PDF file

Roden, A., D. Champagne, and B.T. Forschler. 2011. Biogeography of Triatoma sanguisuga (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) on Two Barrier Islands off the Coast of Georgia, USA. J. Med. Entomol. 48: 806-812. PDF file

Hickman, R. and B.T. Forschler. 2012. Evaluation of a localized treatment technique using three ready-to-use products against the drywood termite Incisitermes snyderi (Kalotermitidae) in naturally infested lumber. Insects. 3: 25-40. PDF file

Lim, S-Y and B.T. Forschler. 2012. Reticulitermes nelsonae, a new species of subterranean termite (Rhinotermitidae) from the southeastern United States. Insects 3: 62-90. PDF file

Hu, J. and B.T. Forschler.  2012.  Neotenic Phenotype and sex ratios provide insight into developmental pathways in Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). Insects. 3: 538-552. PDF

Lim, S-Y., and B.T. Forschler.  2012. A new species of Reticulitermes Holmgren, 1913 (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) from the southeastern United States. Insecta Mundi. 252: 1-4. PDF

Evans, T.A., B.T. Forschler, and J.K. Grace.  2013. Biology of invasive termites: a worldwide review. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 58: 455-474. PDF

Zhukovskaya, M., A. Yanagawa, and B. T. Forschler.  2013. Grooming behavior as a mechanism of insect disease defense. Insects. 4: 609-630. PDF

Lewis, V.R. and B.T. Forschler. 2014. Management of drywood termites: past practices, present situation, and future prospects. In: Urban Insect Pests: Sustainable Control Strategies. Partho Dhang (ed.) CABI International. Cambridge, MA. Pp 130-154.

Forschler, B.T., D. Lastinger, C. Corecki, J. Harron, D. Suiter, B. Sinyard, G. Holley, Laurie Padgett and Christy Kuriatnyk. 2015. Rebuttal to Hurley et al. (2014) from the Georgia Structural Pest Control Commission.  American Entomologist.  61: 60-61. PDF

Lee, W., D.-S. Choi, J.-Y. Ji, N. Kim, J.M. Han, S.-H. Park, S. Lee, M.S. Seo, W.-J. Hwang, B.T. Forschler, Y. Takematsu, Y.-H. Lee.  2015.  A new record of Reticulitermes kanmonensis Takematsu, 1999 (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) from Korea. J. Asia-Pacific Entomol. 18: 351-359. PDF

Chouvenc, T., H.-F. Li, J. Austin, C. Bordereau, T. Bourguignon, S. L. Cameron, E. M Cancello, R. Constantion, A. M. Costa-Leonardo, P. Eggleton, T. A. Evans, B. Forschler, j.K. Grace, C. Husseneder, J. Krecek, C.-Y. Lee, T. Lee, N. Lo, M. Messenger, A. Mullins, Al Rober, Y. Roisin, R. H, Scheffrahn, D. Sillam-Dusses, J. Sobotnik, A. Szalanski, Y. Takematus, E. L. Vargo, A. Yamada, T. Yoshimura and N.Y. Su.  2015. Revisiting Coptotemes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae): a global taxonomic road map for species validity and distribution of an economically important subterranean termite genus. Systematic Entomology.  DOI: 10.1111/syen.12157. PDF

Lee, T. and B.T. Forschler.  2015.  Wood Preference of Reticulitermes virginicus (Banks) using No-, Two-, and Four-Choice Designs and Seven Different Measures of Wood Consumption. J. Econ. Entomol. 109: 1-7 doi: 10.1093/jee/tov391. PDF

Chen, Y.-A. and B.T. Forschler.  2016.  Elemental concentrations in the frass of saproxylic insects suggest a role in micronutrient cycling.  Ecosphere 7(3): 1-13. 7:(3):e01300. 10.1002/ecs2.1300. PDF

Kakuro Kanno, Taketo Kawabata, Yoshihiro Ishikawa, Junichiro Katayama, Motokazu Hirao, Yuichiro Tabaru, Mamoru Watanabe, Kenichi Kumon, Hideakira Tsuji, Koujiro Tanaka, Keichi Saito, Tsuyoshi Yoshimura, Brian Forschler, Vernard Lewis, and Chow-Yang Lee. 2016. Area-wide fly management in the tsunami-affected zones of Tohoku region, Japan. International Pest Control. 58(1): 26-33. PDF

Lewis, J.L. and B.T. Forschler. 2016. Transfer of Five Commercial Termite Bait Formulations Containing Benzoylphenyl Urea Chitin Synthesis Inhibitors within groups of the Subterranean Termite Reticulitermes flavipes (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae). International Journal of Pest Management. DOI:10.1080/09670874.2016.1241911 PDF

Braman, C. and B.T. Forschler. 2018. Survey of Formicidae attracted to protein
baits on Georgia’s barrier island dunes. Southeastern Naturalist. 17: 645-653. PDF
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Myer, A. and B.T. Forschler. 2018. Evidence for the role of subterranean termites
(Reticulitermes spp.) in temperate forest soil nutrient cycling. Ecosystems.
(https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-018-0291-8) PDF

Evans, T.A., B.T. Forschler and C.C. Trettin. 2018. Not just urban: the Formosan
subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus, is invading forests in the
Southeastern USA. Biological Invasions. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-018-1899-5 ISSN: 1387-3547 PDF

Poinar, G.O., A. Myer and B.T. Forschler. 2019. Mermithid nematode parasites
of eastern subterranean termites in North America. Nematology. 0: 1-3 http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685411-00003298 E-ISSN: 1568-5545 PDF

Braman C.A., J. B. Pfaller, K. L. Williams, and B.T. Forschler.  2021.  Presence of Native and Non-native Ants Linked to Lower Emergence Success of Loggerhead SeaTurtle Nests: Implications for Management. Environ. Entomol. 1-9.  doi:10.1093/ee/nvab021 PDF

Dai Z, Trettin CC, Burton AJ, Jurgensen MF, Page-Dumroese DS, Forschler BT, Shilling, J.S. and Linder, D.L. 2021 Coarse woody debris decomposition assessment tool: Model development and sensitivity analysis. PLoS ONE 16(6): e0251893. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0251893 PDF

Arbat, S.G., B.T. Forschler, A.M. Mondi, and A. Sharma. 2021.The case history of an insect infestation revealed using X-ray computed tomography and Implications for museum collections management decisions.  Heritage. 4:1016–1025.  doi.org/10.3390/ heritage4030056 PDF

Myer, A., C.C. Trettin, and B.T. Forschler. 2021. The fate of carbon utilized by the subterranean termite Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar). Ecosphere.  Ecosphere 12(12):e03872. 10.1002/ecs2.3872 PDF

Dai Z, Trettin CC, Burton AJ, Jurgensen MF, Page-Dumroese DS, Forschler BT, Shilling, J.S. and Linder, D.L. 2021. Coarse woody debris decomposition assessment tool: Model validation and application. PLoS ONE 16(7):e0254408  doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254408    PDF

Kard, B.M, F.M. Oi, B.L. Thorne, B.T. Forschler, S.K. Jones. 2021.  Performance standards and acceptable test conditions for preventative termiticide and insecticide treatments, termite baiting systems, and physical barriers for new structures and buildings under construction.  Florida Entomologist 104(3): 195-204.  doi.org/10.1653/024.104.0308 PDF

Trettin, C.C., A. Burton, M.F. Jurgensen, D.S., Page-Dumbrose, Z. Dai, R. Oren, B.T. Forschler, J. Schilling and D. Linder. Wood decomposition and its role in the forest carbon cycle: The FACE wood decomposition experiment.  2021.  USDA FS General Technical Report SRS-262. 33 pp.  https://doi.org/10.2737/SRS-GTR-262 PDF

Forschler, B.T. 2022. Demonstration Project Reporting Detection of suberranean termite (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae) Infestation and Spray Polyurethane Foam.  J Entomol. Sci. 57: 138-144. PDF

Book Chapters

Forschler, B.T. 2009. Screening insecticides for use as soil termiticides requires a series of bioassays: lessons from trials using Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). In: Pesticides in Household, Structural, and Residential Pest Management. C.J. Peterson and D.M. Stout, (eds). ACS Symposium Series #1015, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC. Pp 53-74. PDF file

Forschler, B.T. 2011. Sustainable termite management using an integrated pest management approach. In: Urban Pest Management an environmental perspective. Patho Dhang (ed.) CABI International. Cambridge, MA. Pp 133-144. PDF file