REVISION OF NEARCTIC TERMITES. 143 



large colony or colonies, that is, several closely adjacent, overlapping 

 colonies, each being headed by a dealated queen — were found con- 

 sisting of nymphs of sexual adults, soldiers, and several reproductive 

 adults of the first form, namely, four females and two males. Eggs 

 and very young were present in small separate cells in fluffy, soft 

 wood fiber. Soldiers are not common in colonies. This colony was 

 in the hard wood of a red mangrove log. On March 22 another colony 

 was found with a first form queen present. The queen was in the 

 outer layers of wood near the heartwood core. 



At Paradise Key, on March 26 to 28, 1917, first-form adults were 

 found which were attaining their mature pigmentation ; this had been 

 attained by March 28. Cr-yiAotermes cavifrons is a comjnon species 

 at Royal Palm Hammock, On March 27 a large first-form queen 

 with distended abdomen was found in a colony. On Long Key on 

 March 28 another true queen was foimd with distended abdomen in a 

 colony in a dead tree. 



The species has not been found at Miami Beach, but was collected 

 at Cocoanut Grove (Brickell Hammock) in 1917 and 1918. 



SWAKMING. 



This termite probably swarms in Florida in April and May, ac- 

 cording to the location within the State. However, on February 18, 

 1919, winged adults of Cryptotermes cavifrons were found in colonies 

 in logs at Paradise Key, in the Lower Everglades of Florida. These 

 adults had not as yet attained mature pigmentation. In 1917 wing- 

 ed adults with mature pigmentation of this termite did not ap- 

 pear until March 28. 



The reproductive forms which have been found so far have been 

 of small size, that is, 6-75 nim. in length, and are all of the first 

 form. 



So far as is kno^^^l the habits of Cryptotermes cavifrons do not 

 differ from those of the species of Kalotermes. The burrows in the 

 wood are similar, consisting of longitudinal oval chambers, (PI. 19, 

 fig. 3.) However, the eggs are placed in small, separate pockets in 

 fluffy wood fiber. 



The impressed pellets of excrement of Cryptotermes cavifrons 

 (pi. 12) are smaller than those of the species of Kalotermes. They 

 are reddish when the insect is working in red mangrove wood. Often 

 they are found in little heaps on the ground at the bases of infested 

 dead trees or under logs. 



The eggs are white, reniform, approximately li mm. in length. 



References to biological or economic literature. 



1916. Snyder, T. E. Bull. U. S. Dept. Agric, No. 333, p. 15, Feb. 16. 



1916a. Snyder, T. E. Farmers' Bull. 759, U. S. Dept. Agric, Oct. 9, p. 5, footnote. 



1919. Snyder, T. E. Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., vol. 21, No, 5, pp. 97-104, May, 



1919. Thompson, C. B, Biol. Bull., vol. 36, No. 6, pp. 379-398, June. 



