REVISION OF NEAECTIC TERMITES. 101 



Foundation of New Colonies. 



swarming. 



At the proper season of each year the winged colonizing males 

 and females are impelled to emerge in enormous numbers from 

 colonies. The insects usually crawl up on some elevation before 

 taking flight.* Numerous workers and soldiers are congregated near 

 the exit holes at the time of the swarm. Termites ^ are weak fliers 

 and are preyed upon by many forms of animal life. 



LOSS OF WINGS. 



In species of Reticulitermes and other subterranean termites the 

 wings are lost after the insects have taken a short, irregular vacil- 

 lating flight and alighted to the ground. The wings are pried off 

 by the insect catching the tips against some object and then turning 

 sideways. The wings break off at a suture or line of weakness near 

 the base, leaving stubs. These triangular basal portions or stubs 

 of the wings are thickened and more chitinized than the wing proper, 

 and are also pubescent up to the suture — a possible aid in breaking 

 off the wing. Courtship follows the loss of the wings. 



In the family Kalotermitidae the species do not lose the wings 

 until just before or after the males and females become established 

 in the new colony. 



In the subfamily Termitinae the species sometimes lose the wings 

 while in the air. Various species of Amitermes have this habit in 

 Texas, the dealated insects falling to the ground. 



COURTSHIP. 



Separation into ^Jat^s.— Species of Reticulitermes go through an 

 "amatory procedure" or a Idnd of courtship immediately before or 

 after the loss of wings, prehminary to mating. 



The male follows the female tirelessly and persistently, with head 

 close to her abdomen, and touches her abdomen with the antennae. 

 Often the male and female run in a circle of small diameter, and 

 sometimes the pursued turns pursuer, apparently attracted by some 

 secretion at the posterior end of the body. Sometimes as many as 

 three individuals may be seen running off together. This is appa- 

 rently due to sexual attraction, an amatory procedure preliminary to 

 pairing, which accomplishes the purpose of bringing the sexes 

 together. This continues for several days after the flight. The 

 sexes are attracted to each other at a period several days before 

 swarming, as is evidenced by the fact that when a colony is broken 



' Fuller (1915) records peculiar mating habits of species of Termes in South Africa, that is, a "calling 

 attitude" of the females on grass stems violently agitating their wings. Winged adults of species oi Reti- 

 culitermes in eastern United States climb up on grass stems (and other elevations) and agitate their wings 

 at the time of the annual emergence but this is to get a start for their flight. 



* Species of Reticulitermes. 



