394 



ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1917. 



diameter in the marsh grass or bushes, with an up-and-down zigzag 

 white band across the middle and a round thick spot where she takes 

 her station. In the autumn she lays her eggs in a large, balloon- 

 shaped cocoon like that already described (fig. 17). 

 Both the eggs and the newly hatched young are sub- 

 ject to the attacks of parasitic insects. 



TERMITES, OR WHITE ANTS. 



Unlike their African relatives, which build great 

 mounds, the termites of Paradise Key infest dead 

 fig. 17. — bal- wood (pi. 39) and are therefore apt to escape notice 

 sack "oFiira""- except during the period of swarming. At least four 

 da aurantia. gpecies have been collected in the park by Mr. Thomas 

 half nat. size. -^ Snyder, office of Forest Insect Investigations, 

 United States Department of Agriculture. The social organization 

 of these little insects is of special interest. In addition to perfect 

 winged males and females, and wingless workers and soldiers, there 

 are nymphal and larval forms 

 of males and females which 

 never become winged. (See fig. 

 18.) The most interesting fea- 

 ture in connection with these 

 little insects is their social life 

 and the subdivision of labor in 

 their communities. Though 

 commonly called " white ants," 

 and often referred to by travel- 

 ers as " ants," they are not re- 

 lated to the true ants, but be- 

 long to the order Platyptera, 

 more nearly allied to the May 

 flies, dragon flies, and ant lions. 

 One of the most remarkable 

 phenomena of insect biology is 

 the similarity of the functions 

 of corresponding " castes " in 

 such widely separated groups 

 as the termites on the one hand and the ants and social bees on the 

 other. Both groups of insects live in communities and have their 

 queen mothers, royal consorts, and specialized workers, which are 

 sexually imperfect. In the bees, however, the workers are imperfect 

 females, while among the termites here considered, the castes of both 

 soldiers and workers are composed of imperfect males as well as fe- 

 males. Another important point of difference is that newly hatched 



Fig. IS. — White ants, Leucotermes flavipes. 

 a, Pregnant queen ; t>, winged male ; c, 



SABER-JAWED SOLDIER ; d, BLIND WORKER 

 AND NURSE. ENLARGED. 



