MICJBATION AND DISPEKSAL OF INSECTS : HTMENOPTERA, TERMITES. 207 



Migration and Dispersal of Insects : Social Insects — Hymenoptera, 



Termites. 



By J. W. TUTT, F.E.S. 



We have already noted (E7it. Rec, xiv., p. 174) that Van Bemraelen 

 observed the migration of one or more species of Sphe.v, which came 

 over the sea to the coast of Holland with a swarm of Pierh brassicae, 

 il/)(sfrt vomitirria, &c., but was unable to determine the species, whilst 

 Ki)-bv and Spence trive (hiirod., ii., p. 10) an account of the migration 

 of a species allied to Atluilia centifolia. It is true that they do so 

 doubtfully, with an admission that it does not rest on the evidence 

 of entomologists, but only on that of fishermen, etc., who would not 

 know one insect from another. They write : " It is the general 

 opinion in Norfolk that these insects come from over the sea. A 

 farmer declared he saw them arrive in clouds, so as to darken the air, 

 and the fishermen asserted that they had repeatedly seen flights of 

 them pass over their heads when they were at a distance from land, 

 and on the beach and clifts they were in such quantities that they 

 might have been taken up by shovels-full. Three miles inland they 

 were described as resembling swarms of bees. This was in August, 

 1782. Unentomological observers, such as farmers and fishermen, 

 might easily mistake one kind of insect for another, but supposing them 

 correct, the swarms in question mi^^ht perhaps have passed from Lin- 

 colnshire to Norfolk." Did it stand alone, one might well doubt such a 

 record, but Douglas notes {Ent. Wk. Int., iv., p. 149) tbat, on July 3lst, 

 1858, he observed on the road from Newhaven to Seaford, countless thou- 

 sands of Athalia centifolia, which passed him going with the wind. Right 

 and left, and upwards as far as could be seen, the air was full as when 

 snow is falling thick. He further reports that, after a while, he 

 saw hosts of ladybirds among the sawflies, chiefly the seven-spotted 

 ladybird [Coccinella septenipimctata), and they continued to fly after the 

 sawflies had gone over. Presently, there was not an insect in the air, 

 and the whole affair seemed like a vision. Another interesting note 

 on these species comes from Deal. Harding writes : " The coast here 

 is remarkable for its flights of various insects. I have never seen the 

 same kind, however, two years in succession. On one occasion it has 

 been a large flight of ladybirds (Coccinella), on another the large 

 White Butterfly (Pieria brassicae), yet another, the air is filled with 

 winged ants; last year with a species of diptera ; this year (1859) 

 with Athalia centifolia. On June 16th, with the day hot and still, the 

 wind south-west, as is the case when these flights take place, I observed 

 this last-named species (which had been resting on almost every kind of 

 plant for some days before), at about 10 a.m., commence its flight, passing 

 alono: in a cloud over the herbage and skirting the sea. At about 1 p.m. 

 they came thicker and faster; by 1.30 p.m. they had all passed. I 

 have not seen twenty since." An interesting note, extracted from the 

 " Report on the Migration of Birds, 1884," is published by Cordeaux 

 (/'7»^, xviii., p. 267), and reads: "Under date of June 30th, Mr. 

 Owen Boyle, of the Larigard lighthouse reports ' A skylark followed 

 by a string of bees. The plaintive cries of this poor bird first attracted 

 my attention ; it flew so close tbat I almost caught it ; it was closely 

 pursued by a large number of bees, and in its fright, took to the water 

 followed by its pursuers. When last seen it was making for the Essex 



