2S 



INJURIOUS AND BENEFICIAL INSECTS OF CALIFORNIA. 



CORRODENTIA (Order) 



WHITE ANTS, PSOCIDS, BOOK-LICE, BIRD-LICE, ETC. 



The members of this minor order have direct or incomplete meta- 

 morphoses, the Larva and nymphs not varying greatly in structure 

 from 1 lie adults. The wings, when present, are two pairs, membranous, 

 delicate, equal or front wings slightly larger. This order was pre- 

 viously listed as Platyptera with the Corrodentia and Mallophaga as 

 suborders. The latter is still retained as such, but will not be con- 

 sidered here. In fact, only the family TermitidcB is represented by 

 one species in this work. 



TERMITIM: (Family) 



TERMITES OR WHITE ANTS 



These insects, though commonly called white ants, are not ants at 

 all, being more closely related to the lower groups of insects rather 

 than to the true ants. Some entomologists have placed them in a single 

 order — Isoptera. 



The eyes of the termites are faceted or made up of many apparently 

 individual eyes; antennae 9-31 jointed; prothorax large and well de- 

 veloped ; abdomen elongated with ten segments; 

 wings long, slender, membranous, equal, and 

 delicate. The habits are social, there being 

 workers, soldiers, and sexually mature males 

 and females, or queens. 



THE COMMON TERMITE 



Termcs lucifugus Rossi 



(Fig. 25) 



Description. — The workers of this species are 

 rather small and well shown in Fig. 25. They 

 are transparently white in color, the contents 

 of the alimentary canal giving a , yellowish or 

 brownish east. The head is darker yellow and 

 mandibles brown. The soldier ants have large 

 brown heads, comprising at least one third of 

 their entire bodies. The queen ant is much 

 larger than the other forms, while the males are 

 small. It is claimed that there are no less than 

 fifteen kinds of individuals in this species. 



Life History. — These termites usually live in 

 dead or decaying wood, but occasionally work 

 in the living and growing tissues. They make 

 very extensive galleries through all parts and 

 thus often destroy buildings, fences, etc., as well 

 as fruit trees. The queen gives rise to all the 

 young, which appear in great numbers, espe- 

 cially during the summer months. In the fall or 

 autumn winged or migratory forms appear and often fly by thousands 

 on dark- days and towards evening. In habits and life history they 

 greatly resemble true ants and bees. 



Fig. 25. — The common 

 termite, Termes lucifu- 

 gus Rossi on decaying 

 roots of a nectarine tree. 

 Natural size. (Author's 

 illustration. Mo. Bui. Cal. 

 TTort. Com.) 



