268 



PRELIMINARY NOTE ON ANOTHER WHITE ANT 

 CAUSING DAMAGE TO NEW CLEARINGS. 



Some cases have recently been brought to the notice of the 

 Department of Agriculture, F.M.S., Kuala Lumpur, in which Termes 

 carbonarius has been found killing newly planted stumps by stripping 

 them of their bark. 



Up to the present this has only been noticed on old tapioca 

 estates. 



This termites were previously considered harmless and it is 

 important to find out as soon as possible how far their ravages have 

 been noticed elsewhere. 



Termes carbonarius may be distinguished from other "White 

 Ants" or Termites, as they are more correctly called, by the large 

 size and sooty colouring of the soldiers. 



The soldiers of this species are of two kinds ; the larger over half 

 an inch long including the mandibles or nippers, which can inflict an 

 unpleasant bite ; the smaller, about three eighths of an inch. 



The mandibles are curved upward to the tips and do not possess 

 teeth between the base and the tip. 



The queen is as large as that of Termes malayanus, attaining a 

 length of three inches. These Termites are often found in the same 

 nest as Termes sulphureus, the little sulphur yellow species, which lives 

 in hard cased mounds sometimes five feet high. The queen of 

 Termes sulphureus averages only one and a quarter inch in length. 



Termes sulphureus and carbonarius are both described in books as 

 harmless, being fungus (or "mould") eaters. The fungus grows on 

 cakes or masses of vegetable matter which are stored in special 

 chambers in the nest. 



Up to now analyses of these masses have failed to show any 

 traces of rubber, but further samples are wanted for analysis with 

 notes of the depth at which they are found, as those examined may 

 only have been collected by Termes sulphureus. 



The nests constructed by Termes carbonarius are large mounds, 

 often 6 feet high, very massive and irregular in shape. The exterior 

 is chiefly composed of earthy matter with oval or round chambers 

 distributed throughout the nest. These contain the fungus beds 

 mentioned above. The centre of the mounds is composed of delicate 

 laminae of clay and below or in the centre of this the Queen cell 

 is to be found. When disturbed, ants of this species have the habit 

 of hammering their heads against portions of the nest, which 

 produces a clicking noise. As many as four kinds of termites may 

 be found within the mound made by this species. 



