110 BULLETIN 108, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



together with the queen, but on account of their small size they 

 frequently escape when the colony is broken into. Sometimes, when 

 escape is shut ofip, the male will attempt to hide under the greater 

 body of the female, but they usually desert their consorts at the first 

 sign of danger. 



The males of the second form are usually found associated with 

 many females of the same form. The relative number of the sexes 

 in a colony of Reticulitermes virginicus Banks in southern Florida 

 was 32 females to 8 males; these were young reproductive forms. 

 In a colony of R. Jlavipes 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. 



In the United States only one male of the third form has as yet 

 been found in colonies of species of Reticulitermes. In colonies of 

 Prorhinotermes simplex Hagen, 8 females to 2 males occurred in a 

 colony in southern Florida, 



A large number of eggs or recently hatched young are usually 

 present in the nest in the vicinity of the reproductive forms. 



In the case of the non-wood-boring subterranean species the repro- 

 ductive forms are usually deep below the surface of the ground, 

 especially during warm, dry weather, in arid or prairie regions. 

 Sometimes they are found at a lesser depth in the earth or under 

 stones. In winter they are in the ground below the frost line. 



Workers and soldiers. — In addition to the fertile reproductive 

 individuals of the three different forms, there are sterile forms present 

 in colonies of most species of termites. These sterile forms are the 

 worker and soldier or "nasutus" castes. These castes are produced 

 by all the reproductive forms. Workers are developed from large- 

 headed nymphs that will not mature the sexual organs, but, unlike 

 the bees, are of both sexes. They are large-headed and vary in 

 shape and color. As the name implies, the workers are those indi- 

 viduals that make the excavations, extend the colony, and care for 

 and protect the royal couples and young. 



In the genera Termopsis and Neotermes there is no true worker 

 caste, but there is a large-headed worker-like reproductive form pres- 

 ent. In the genera Kalotermes and Cryptotermes there is no worker 

 caste, the nymphs of the reproductive forms apparently attending to 

 the duties of the workers. 



The workers of the genus Anoplotermes are very peculiar in their 

 appearance and method of following each other in mihtary files. 

 There is a characteristic musty or acrid odor which can be easily 

 detected in colonies of Reticulitermes, which also have this habit, and 

 individuals frequently can be seen to follow directly in the path 

 taken by others ; but as termites usually travel in well-worn channels 

 this may be due to tactile sense alone. 



