87 
NOTES ON THE TERMITES OF INDIANA. 
BY 
Harry F. DIetTz, 
Assistant Entomologist, Department of Conservation.’ 
Termites, or “white ants” as they are popularly known, are insects that 
have forced themselves on the attention of entomologists because of their 
economic importance. Because of their life history and habits and the fact 
that they live in colonies or social communities, the individuals of which 
belong to different castes, there is no reason why termites should not at- 
iraet more attention than they do from biologists in general. he inter- 
esting work of Snyder (1, 5, 6, 7. 11)* and Thompson (11-14 inclusive) 
hear out this statement. 
The present paper deals with observations on these insects with special 
reference to their economic aspects. Until recently there has been a ten- 
dency among entomologists to regard the termites of the United States, 
east of the Mississippi and north of the Ohio river, as one species, namely 
Reticulitermes (Leucotermes) flavipes Kollar. This is in spite of the fact 
that Snyder and Banks (1, 6, 7) have pointed out that there are two 
other species of the same genus Reticulitermes namely R. hagent Banks and 
R. virginicus Banks whose range in this country are at present not well 
defined. These two species were both found and described since 1907 from 
Falls Chureh, Virginia, a few miles from Washington, D. C. It should be 
pointed out that this region is one that has literally been “combed” by 
entomologists since the formation of the U. S. Department of Agriculture. 
It is therefore quite possible that intensive work will reveal not only the 
presence of R. hagenit Banks and R. virginicus Banks over a wider area than 
they are now known to occur but also the presence of one or more new 
species. 
Distribution of Termites in Indiana. 
Reticulitermes flavipes Kollar is the only species that until the present 
time has been recorded in Indiana. Snyder (7) records it from the vicinity 
of South Bend, Indianapolis, and Jeffersonville. During the past season 
Columbus and Lafayette have been added to this known distribution. 
Reticulitermes virginicus Banks was collected for the first time in Indiana 
at Indianapolis on July 1, 1920, by the writer. The forms collected were 
winged colonizing adults. The nearest point to Indiana from which this 
species has been recorded is Okolona, near Louisville, Kentucky (Banks, 1). 
Reticulitermes hageni Banks probably occurs in Indiana, though the near- 
est point to our State from which it is recorded is Kane, Greene County, 
Illinois (Banks, 1). 
Swarming. 
There are two times when termites are reported to the Division of En- 
tomology. These are as follows: First, when the annual swarming of 
1Published with the permission of the Chief of the Division of Entomology and 
the Director of the Department of Conservation of Indiana. 
The figures in parenthesis refer to the Literature cited. 
