RIS IIS 
INSECT ENEMIES OF EASTERN FORESTS 85 
that pursue, catch, and devour other insects. When at rest the wines 
are outspread (fig. 11). The damsel flies rest with the wings folded 
above the abdomen and are poorer fliers. The eges are laid in the 
water or on the stems of plants, logs, ete. The larvae are predaceous 
on other aquatic life. Those of the dragonflies breathe by drawine 
water into a pocket lo- 2 
cated at the posterior end 
of the abdomen and pro- 
vided with tracheal gills. 
This water can be forci- 
bly expelled thus moving 
the larvae through the 
water. The damsel fly 
larvae have external gills 
at the tip of the abdomen. 
The larvae of both insects 
when fully developed 
crawl up the stems of 
plants, and the adults. 
emerge. The cast skins Figure 11.—An adult dragonfly, Libellula 
are common objects on pulchella Drury. — 
vegetation along streams. 
The naiads are frequently found in the stomachs of fish. 
THE TERMITES 
Orver ISOPTERA 
By T. HE. SNYDER 
GENERAL DESCRIPTION 
Termites are primitive insects related to the cockroaches and, while 
superficially antlike, are not related to the ants. The termites have 
thick waists and the fore and hind wings are similar, whereas the ants 
are narrow-waisted and the forewings are markedly different and 
larger than the hind wings. Both termites and ants are social insects, 
that is, they live in large colonies and have a caste system and a more 
or less closely adhered-to division of labor. Ants run about in the 
open above ground, but termites are concealed in wood, earth, or earth- 
like shelter tubes. 
Termites vary greatly in color, form, size, habits, and life history, 
and in the different castes present in the colony. Usually, winged 
adults, soldiers, and workers (fig. 12) constitute the chef castes, but 
in certain kinds of termites in specified localities any one of these forms 
may be lacking. Unlike the ants, termites have no pupal or resting 
stage, but are always active, except for short periods when they are 
shedding their skins. 
The workers and large-jawed soldiers are wingless, blind, and sterile 
(although potentially males and females) and are, respectively, the 
castes for labor and defense, although workers also defend the colony 
and young soldiers perform the duties of workers, as do also the young 
reproductive forms. The workers are the forms that damage 
