LOCUSTS, HOPPERS, SURFACE BEETLES, ETC. 



Termites. 



A group of social insects, commonly termed white-ants, which live in 

 nests usually made in the ground. Structurally there is no relationship 

 between the termites, which are Neuroptera, and the ants, which are 

 Hymenoptera ; in their habits there is a close resemblance, with clear 

 distinctions. Termites shun light and never willingly expose themselves 



FIG. 272. 

 Wingless Queen, after return to rest, the abdomen distended with eggs. 



to it. The nest is usually underground and from it passages run 

 through the soil to trees, buildings, etc. The nest often projects above 

 the ground and is made of chewed vegetable fibre ; it contains many 

 chambers and passages. Within the nest the sexually mature indivi- 

 duals live, the most important of which is the queen who produces the 

 eggs. A colony of termites usually consists of one or more fully deve- 

 loped queens, one or more imperfectly developed queens, and a larger or 

 smaller number of males : males and females alone are winged at any 

 time. The larger part of the colony consists of smaller undeveloped 

 insects, termed workers or soldiers, which never become winged or sexually 

 mature. These leave the nest and collect food for the whole colony. 



Unless the actual nest is 



found, only workers and 

 soldiers are seen, and it 

 is these which destroy 

 houses, eat crops and 

 damage trees. The nest 

 may be a long distance 

 from the scene of destruc- 

 tion, the termites com- 

 municating with the nest 

 by means of a covered 

 passage or a tunnel. 

 At certain times of the year, enormous numbers of winged termites 



FIG. 273. 

 Winged Queen Termite. 



