26 INSECTS INJURIOUS TO FORESTS. 
increase in numbers is also correspondingly slow. Observations of 
such incipient colonies in the spring of 1912 and 1913, after the swarm, 
the time of which varies with the season, from the middle of June to 
early July, indicate that from 6 to 12 eggs are normally to be found 
with pairs of flavipes. While the brood first hatched is relatively 
small, contrary to the habits in the other social insects coition is 
repeated and the young colony gradually increases in numbers. 
On April 25, 1912, at Falls Church, Va., a small colony or sub- 
colony of Leucotermes flavipes, the branch of a larger colony, was 
found under a small chestnut slab sunken in the ground. The day 
was warm and bright and many members of the colony were congre- 




Flrarrer7ed 
Flattrerred 
OGylindrical 


Fic. 7.—Suspended tubes, constructed by termites of earth and excreted wood. 
(Original. ) 
gated under the slab above ground. An attempt was made to cap- 
ture the entire colony in order that the relative proportions of the 
various castes might be ascertained. Although nymphs of the first 
form constituted the most abundant caste, some few transforming 
nymphs and a few sexed adults were present, as well as a few workers 
and soldiers. Workers constituted the second most abundant caste. 
Nymphs of the second form appeared more active than the 
nymphs of the first form. The following possibly is not a fair state- 
ment, either of the number of individuals in the colony or the rela- 
tive proportions of the different castes, since (1) the nymphs were 
probably above ground to take advantage of the warm afternoon 
sun which would aid their development—a common procedure; (2) 
only a few workers and soldiers were necessary to attend them and 
no doubt many more were still in the subterranean passages; (3) 
