Horizontal transfer of indoxacarb among workers of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, was examined under laboratory conditions. The effects of dose (0, 10, 20, 50, 100 or 200 ng AI per donor), donor:recipient ratio (1:1, 1:4 or 1:9) and post-exposure time (2, 4, 8, 16, 20 and 24 days) on lethal transfer of indoxacarb were investigated using a donor/recipient model in groups of 100 workers. Transfer of lethal doses from donors to recipients was evidenced by significant recipient mortality in 13 out of 15 treatments within 24 days post-exposure. Dosage significantly affected indoxacarb transfer. Higher doses resulted in greater recipient mortality than lower doses. The highest dose tested resulted in 100% death of recipients and donors within 20 days. A dose of 100 ng resulted in recipient mortalities ranging from 68 to 100%, whereas doses < or =50 ng killed <60% of recipients within 24 days. Donor:recipient ratio also had considerable effect on indoxacarb transfer. At 24 days post-exposure, greater recipient mortalities were observed at ratios > or =1:4 at doses > or =20 ng, but only at a ratio 1:1 at dose 10 ng. Recipient mortality increased significantly as post-exposure time increased. The higher the doses applied on donors, the shorter were the times required for the onset of recipient mortality to occur and for recipients to reach maximum mortality. Significantly greater recipient mortalities were not observed at doses 20 and 50 ng until more than 20 days post-exposure, indicating a delayed activity of indoxacarb. Possible transfer mechanisms are discussed.