INSECTS 



instincts, however, attain maturity, and these short- 

 winged individuals, therefore, become males and females 

 capable of procreation. They differ from the fully-winged 

 sexual forms in a few respects other than the length of the 

 wings, and they constitute a true caste of the termite 

 community, that of the short-winged males and females 

 (Fig. 80). The members of this caste mature along 

 with the others, and, Doctor Snyder tells us, many of 

 them, regardless of their handicap, actually leave the nest 

 at the time the long-winged caste is swarming; as if in 

 them, too, the instinct for flight is felt, though the organs 

 for accomplishing it are unable to play their part. Just 

 what becomes of these unfortunates is a mystery, for 

 Doctor Snyder says that after the swarming none of them 

 is to be found in the nest. It may be that some of them 

 pair and found new colonies after the manner of the 

 winged forms, but the facts concerning their history are 

 not known. It is at least true that colonies are some- 

 times found which have no true royal pair, but in which 

 the propagating individuals are members of this short- 

 winged reproductive caste. 



Finally, there are also found in the termite colonies 

 certain wingless individuals that otherwise resemble the 

 winged forms, and which, as the latter, are functionally 

 capable of reproduction when mature. These individuals 

 constitute a third reproductive caste — the wingless males 

 and females. Little is known of the members of this 

 caste, but it is surmised that they may leave the nests 

 by subterranean passages and found new colonies of their 

 own. 



Just how long the primary queen of a colony can keep 

 on laying eggs is not known, but in the course of years 

 she normally comes to the end of her resources, and before 

 that time she may be injured or killed through some ac- 

 cident. Her death in any case, however, does not mean 

 the end of the colony, for the king may provide for the 

 continuance of his race, and at the same time console 



[ Ho] 



