The durability of the stipe of Bactris gasipaes Kunth (Peach palm) when under attack by xylophage insects, is evaluated in the present paper, through forest and urban environment field tests. Five palms with spines and five without spines from the Tabatinga population (Putumayo landrace) were used in the experiment. Disks approximately 30 cm thick were taken from the butt, middle and top portions of each palm and distributed at random in a forest area near the INPA Peach Palm Germoplasm Bane (2º38'S 60º03'W). The time of permanence of the samples was 18 months, and in this period the disks were checked every three months to evaluate the degree of deterioration and collection of insects. In the urban condition, the same procedure was adopted, however each disk was halved to remove the centre and each half was distributed at random, one in a concave and the other in a convex position, on a wooden framework situated in the INPA's campus, Manaus, and checked bimonthly for one year. The results in the forest condition indicated that most of the disks were deteriorated by termites, and useful life of the butt portions varied around 18 months, the middle and the top around 15. The main species of termites were: Heterotermes tenuis (Hagen) (Rhinotermitidae) attacked the butt, middle and the top parts; Nasutitermes similis Emerson (Termitidae) that infested the area of the base and of the middle; Anoplotermes sp. (Termitidae) and Nasutitermes tatarandae (Holmgren) (Termitidae) attacked the medium part of the stipe. In the urban condition, the beetle Dinoderus bifoveolatus Wollston (Bostrichidae), was the most responsible for the deterioration of the samples, followed by the termite N. similis.
Bactris gasipaes; biodeterioration; Coleoptera; Isoptera