REVISION OF NEARCTIC TERMITES. 103 



same cell; but these dealated reproductive forms, unlike the apterous 

 forms, are not normally polygamous. The reproductive individuals 

 of the second and third forms are always polygamous. 



The rate of egg laying in the queens of Nearctic termites is rela- 

 tively slow and is not comparable to that of tropical species. 



None of the different forms of queens of any of our native termites 

 ever completely lose the power of locomotion on account of the dis- 

 tended abdomen, and they do not reach the enormous size attained 

 by species in the Tropics; there is, in consequence, no centrally 

 located royal cell. 



The rate of egg laying in newly established or ' ' incipient ' ' colonies 

 of Nearctic species of termites is slow. In species of Reticulitermes 

 and Kalotermes 6 to 12 eggs compose the first batch. Species of 

 Termopsis have a slightly greater initial rate of egg laying (Heath, 

 1903); 15 to 30 eggs are laid by young parent adults of T. angusti- 

 collis. 



In well-established colonies of Nearctic termites tens of thousands 

 of eggs are present, and, allowing for a period of incubation of 10 

 days to 2 weeks, the rate of egg laying must be rather rapid. Old 

 mature queens lay continuously at least one dozen eggs in 24 hours. 

 However, sometimes 40 to 100 reproductive individuals of the second 

 form are present in the same colony. 



In the southeastern United States, in old long-established colonies 

 of species of Reiiculitennes, egg laying takes place from April to 

 October; that is, during the warm months. In infested heated 

 buildings occupied by man, eggs are produced in every month of the 

 year. 



The eggs occur in clusters and are tended by the young parent 

 adults in the royal cell in incipient colonies. In long-established 

 colonies the eggs are removed from the royal cell by the workers and 

 deposited in clusters in the outlying galleries of the colony, where 

 conditions are best suited for hatching. The eggs are yellowish- 

 white and reniform. 



There are differences in the size of the eggs of the subfamiHes of 

 termites (pi. 35) , the eggs being largest in the primitive species. 



EGG LENGTHS OF NEARCTIC GENERA OF TERMITES. 

 Genus of Termite. Length in mm. 



Termopsis 1. 48 to 1. 7 



Kalotermes 1. 2 to 1. 625 



Neotermes 1.6 



Cryptotermes 1.2 to 1. 3 



Reticulitermes 6 to .7 



Prorhinotermes 68 to 1. 



Anoplotermes 56 to .65 



Nasutitermes 64 to .72 



Constrictotermes 75 



Amitermes 56 to .64 



