INSECT LIFE IN INDIA AND HOW TO STUDY IT. 379> 



The following is the life history of the Termite or common ' White 

 Ant,' Termes taprobanes, of India : — 



The insect lives in communities consisting of an enormous number 

 of individuals. The adult forms found in a community are (1) workers t 

 (2) soldiers, (3) winged males and females, (4) some of these winged 

 forms which have lost their wings. (See Fig. 25 a—f.) In addition 

 there are the young larvse. The winged king and queen are only pre- 

 sent for a few days. The individuals which have lost their wings are 

 usually limited to one pair, the king and queen. These two may be 

 recognized by the stumps of their cast wings, which are to be seen as 

 small appendages on the dorsal surface of the thorax. The continuance 

 of the nest is effected entirely by the king and queen. They are general- 

 ly incapable of leaving the nest, more especially the queen, whose body 

 swells up enormously after fertilisation to many times its original bulk. 

 Great disorganisation occurs in the, colony if anything happens to the 

 royal pair, and in consequence of this certain individuals amongst the 

 krvse are kept in such a state that they can be quickly converted into 

 royalties should it become necessary. It thus becomes obvious that the 

 old theory that it was possible to get rid of a ' white ant ' nest by digging 

 out and killing the king and queen is quite untenable. When this is 

 done, or when anything happens to the royal pair, the termites left in 

 the nest simply set about preparing a substitute royal couple. The 

 soldiers may be distinguished by their very large heads and powerful 

 mandibles. Their work is to guard the colony against enemies. The 

 workers build the nest and look after the young larvae. The males and 

 females are produced in enormous numbers, and may often be seen at the 

 commencement of and during the rains issuing from the nest in great 

 clouds, either from the big earthen erections or stumps of trees in the 

 field and forest, or from the base of walls, plinths, etc., of houses. On 

 reaching the outside they proceed in a continuous stream upwards, and 

 these great flights never fail to attract all the kites, crows, minas and 

 other insectivorous birds in the neighbourhood, who stuff themselves to 

 repletion with the food so easily obtainable. After this nuptial flight and 

 their return to earth, those termites which escape their numerous enemies 

 in the air, tear off their wings, these latter parting at the sutures described 

 above, and pair, should the pairing not have been gone through in the air. 

 The now wingless insects then endeavour to find their way back to the 

 original nest, and a few succeed, the greater proportion however being 



