LIFE HISTORY OF CARPENTER ANT. 1 87 



5. None of the ten colonies of intermediate size which were 

 observed closely during July and August were seen to carry 

 queen pupa cases from the nest, and only one colony of this type 

 represented in Tables III. and IV. contained winged forms dur- 

 ing the winter. 

 / These facts make reasonably evident the following conclusions : 

 First, that a colony does not produce winged forms until it is 

 more than two years old. 

 v Second, that a brood of winged forms is produced during one 

 summer, remains in the parental nest over winter, and leaves for 

 N ' the marriage flight during a time ranging from May to July. 



In regard to the number of years required for a colony to 

 reach sufficient maturity to produce sexually perfect individuals 

 I have the following data : 



1. The two queens which reared their first young in artificial 

 nests laid eggs at the rate of about two a day, during the regular 

 season, and several others taken during the winter with small 

 colonies have laid eggs at about the same rate part of the time 

 since being brought into the insectory. 



2. In the sixty colonies of Tables I. and II. the largest num- 

 ber of workers in any one colony is twenty-seven, and the largest 

 number of larvae is thirty-two. 



3. In Tables III. and IV. we have the following rather distinct 

 groups of colonies as regard size : 



(a) Eight, with the number of workers ranging from one hun- 

 dred and six to two hundred and thirty-seven, and the number 

 of larvae from seventy-four to one hundred and twenty-seven. 



(b) Four, with the number of workers ranging from eight 

 hundred and eighty-six to twelve hundred and forty-six, and the 

 number of larvae from one hundred and sixty-five to eight hun- 

 dred and twenty-three. The colony with the largest number of 

 larvae, however, possessed two queens. 



(c) Three, with the number of workers ranging from eighteen 

 hundred and seventy-two to twenty-two hundred and ninety-one, 

 and the number of larvae from one hundred and twenty three to 

 eight hundred and sixty-seven. 



(d) Nine, with winged forms and with the number of workers 

 ranging from nineteen hundred and forty-three to thirty-two 

 hundred and twelve. 



