114 PROC. ENT. SOC. WASH., VOL. 22, NO. 6, JUNE, IQ2O 



the ovaries is much less than in queens of the first form. The 

 abdomens of second form queens never become as elongate as in 

 case of queens of the first form; they become as much distended, 

 but do not have the oblong or quadrate shape, being more oval, 

 or wider near the end which tapers markedly. Externally, the body 

 tissue of second form queens appears to be coarser and thicker 

 than that of first form queens (possibly due to presence of fat). 



"Stylets" or abdominal appendices on the ventral surface of 

 the 9th abdominal segment of the female are absent, disappear- 

 ing during the final nymphal molt. 



The males of the second form reproductive type have the ab- 

 domens compressed laterally, which gives the appearance of a 

 narrow, ridged back. 



In colonies in eastern United States, the males of the second 

 form are usually found associated with many females of the same 

 form; they are either congregated in one large chamber or suit- 

 ably distributed in many small chambers. The relative number 

 of the sexes in a colony of Reticulitermes virginicns Banks in south- 

 ern Florida was 32 females to 8 males ; these were young repro- 

 ductive forms. In a colony of R. flavipes Kollar, in Virginia, the 

 relative number of the sexes was 28 females to 15 males; the 

 largest female was 10 mm. in length, the average 8.2 mm. 



It was formerly believed that adults of the second form, accom- 

 panied by groups of workers and soldiers, left the parent colony 

 through subterranean galleries and thus established new colonies. 

 Recent studies by the writer have shown that this is not the only 

 method of colonization, if indeed it occurs at all. This will be 

 discussed in detail later. 



There is proof that this type of reproductive form may breed 

 true, i. e., it produces reproductive nymphs only like itself, and 

 not winged adults, or the wingless third forms, (Thompson and 

 Snyder, 1919). 



Description of the Adults of the Third Form of Species of Reticulitermes. 



A rarer type of reproductive form is that of the apterous third 

 form, sometimes known as "ergatoid" or "worker-like." 



The adult of the third form of species of Reliculitermes has no 

 wings nor wing-pads, being entirely apterous and worker-like or 

 "ergatoid." There is but little pigment in the chitinized parts; 

 there are only traces of eyes, no doubt due to the wholly sub- 

 terranean mode of life of this form. The abdomen of the mature 

 queen is oblong quadrate, its shape being, more like that of the 

 first form queen. The compound eyes are without pigment. 

 The head, thoracic segments and tergal and sternal nota are not 

 as broad as those of adults of the second form. The segments of 



