TERMITES IN THE UNITED STATES. 3 



reproductive forms have functional eyes, and, unlike the other forms, 

 are especially adapted to endure full sunlight, since it is necessary 

 that they come above ground to found new colonies, possibly be- 

 cause of a superabundance of life in the old, parent colony, or in order 

 that the species may become more widely disseminated. 



The dirty-white, soft-bodied, large-headed, wingless " workers " 

 (PL I, fig. 1) comprise the most destructive form. These " workers" 

 have varied and important duties ; they make the excavations, enlarge 

 and extend the colony as this becomes necessary, and care for and 

 protect the young and reproductive forms. The soft-bodied, wingless 

 " soldiers " (PI. I, fig. 2) , which have an elongate narrow head armed 

 with long, slender, saber-shaped jaws, and the workers are the most 

 numerous forms permanently present in the colony. The duty of the 

 specially developed soldiers is apparently protective. Both the work- 

 ers and soldiers consist of individuals of either sex, but the sexual 

 organs remain undeveloped. The integument of the body of these 

 insects is delicate and the chitinous plates are never very hard. These 

 forms are blind and rarely appear above ground; hence in all their 

 operations they carefully shun the light, which they nevertheless are 

 apparently able to detect. Other forms are the reproductive indi- 

 viduals, which may be either a single pair, the normal king and queen 

 (PL II, figs. 1 and 2) , or in other colonies many supplementary forms 

 of nymphal types (PL II, figs. 3 and 4; text fig. 4,5) or larval types 

 (fig. 3; fig. 4, c). 



THE DIFFERENT SPECIES OF TERMITES. 



Of the many different species of termites in North America, the 

 habits of only three are here considered in detail, namely, the com- 

 mon native termite (Leucotermes fiavipes Kollar), a European ter- 

 mite (Leucotermes lucifugus Rossi), and the native southern species 

 {Leucotermes virginicus Banks). These termites are greatly similar 

 in form and habit and are all wood-destroying species of subterranean 

 habits, with a relatively northern distribution. The winged sexed 

 adults have strongly reticulated wings. 1 



In case of flavipes ("yellow foot"), these adults are clear castaneous-brown, 

 9 to 10 mm. 2 , in length, including the wings, which are dull white in color, or 

 plainly darkened, the borders being clear brownish, except at the base. The 

 simple eyes or ocelli are separated from the faceted compound eyes by the width 

 of their diameter. The swarm is usually in April or May. The soldiers are 6 to 

 7 mm. in length, the head being about once and two-thirds as long as broad. 



In lucifugus ("light shunning"), the winged adults are dark blackish-brown, 

 11 to 12 mm. in length including the wings, the latter being dull smoky blackish 

 with the borders black-brown. The ocelli are nearer to the compound eyes. 

 This species swarms from October to April. 



The southern smaller species (virginicus) is yellowish brown in color, being 

 7.5 to 8 mm. in length, including the wings, which are not darkened. The 



1 Subgenus Reticuliterm.es Holmgren. 2 1 mm.=one twenty-fifth inch. 



