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considerable activity on warm days in their subterranean life. The activity 

 becomes greatest from April to the end of November. Towards May, they 

 lay eggs which apparently develop into the workers and soldiers to be seen 

 late on July. The eggs which are laid after June give rise invariably to 

 workers, soldiers and nymphs. Towards June to July, young numphs 

 make their appearance. They attain considerable size by the end of 

 November; get their wings in April, the next, and about two weeks later 

 leave their nest and swarm. 



3. Natural Enemies. 



So long as the white ants are living in their nest, they are seldom 

 attacked by enemies other than parasitic mites, etc. Often where the nest 

 is not well guarded, true ants intrude, and Euponera soliteria are 

 known to be their powerful enemies. The winged forms in their flights 

 are often caught by swallows, robber flies such as Asilus scutellaris and 

 dragon flies such as Orthetrum japonicios, etc. Wingless imagoes often 

 fell victim to the true ants such as Formica fusca japonica, Tetramorium 

 cuespitum, etc. 



4. Distribution. 



The species is widely distributed all over the country and it is found 

 in Hokkaido, the Main Island, Shikoku, Kiushu, Formosa and Korea, being 

 most abundantly met with in the central and southern parts of the Main 

 Island and north of Kiushu. 



5. Damages. 



The species that lives in wet wood is fond of fences, bridge work, 

 railway sleepers, the foundations of houses, etc., covered with earth or in 

 contact with it so as to be kept damp. Particularly, wood foundations 

 and the lower ends of posts are their favorite abodes; they creep up and 

 make their way into higher parts of pillars and walls and are sometimes 

 known to spoil household utensils and furnitures. The white ants also 

 often take their abode on the under-side of roofing when they are expelled 

 from the leakage of rain water, etc. This species owing to their smaller 

 reproductive power is relatively harmless. 



