White Ants 



One of these, found by Hubbard in the nests of Termes flavipe<> 

 in Florida, is shown at Fig. 242. 



In America Termes hicifugiis has not been studied, but in 

 Europe its history is rather well known. It burrows in wood of 

 different kinds, makes excavations and builds galleries so that it 

 can move from one point to another without being exposed. 

 This suggests that we have as yet omitted to state that all 

 termites shun the light, except during the nuptial flight; in fact, 

 the workers and soldiers are almost invariably blind, although 

 with certain African species of the genus Hodotermes facetted 

 eyes occur in these castes and they issue from holes in the ground 

 during the heat of the day and cut grass. There seems to be 

 some question, however, whether these creatures really belong 

 to this group. It is supposed also that these galleries keep the 

 right degree of moisture, since in dry air these creatures die. 

 Many thousands compose a community. The period of develop- 

 ment apparently occupies from eighteen to twenty-three months. 



Probably in the whole range of insects treated in this book 

 there is no species which offers a better and more convenient 

 field of study than the common Termes flavipes. I feel sure that 

 what we know about it is but a small fraction of what remains to 

 be learned, and it is everywhere so abundant that the earnest ob- 

 server need never be without material. 



Just as with the ants, and also with some of the social bees, 

 so that we may, in fact, say just as with all social insects, in the 

 habitations of termites will be found many guest insects. Such 

 insects in ants' nests are known as Myrmecophiloiis; in termites' 

 nests they are known as Termitophiloiis insects, and the study of 

 these insects, in the United States, offers an almost unexplored 

 field. Mr. E. A. Schwarz has paid some attention to them, and in 

 the Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington (Vol. 

 I, pp. 160, 161) has given a list of nine species of beetles found 

 living in termites' nests and has published some very interesting 

 notes about them. No true hymenopterous parasites of termites 

 are known, unless the curious, big-headed chalcis flies of the 

 genus Caratomis should prove to be parasitic upon them. 



The damage done by termites in tropical regions is very 

 great. In Central America it seems almost impossible to erect 

 wooden telegraph poles which will last for any length of time, 

 since they are tunneled by these creatures and weakened to their 



.359 



