12 BULLETIN 333, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
from April to October: in incipient colonies of favipes in northern 
Virginia the first eggs are laid by the middle of June or July, or 
from the last of June to July or August in. case of virgirricus. 
In northern Virginia, in well-established colonies, the period of 
maximum egg production of both species is from the middle of May 
to early September : that is. during the warm months. 
In infested buildings occupied by man termites are able to maintain 
their activity during the entire year, and it is probable that eggs 
are produced in every month of the year. 
The eggs are tended by the young parent adults in the royal cell 
in incipient colonies, but in long-established colonies the eggs are 
removed by the workers and deposited in clusters in the outlying 
galleries of the colony where conditions are best suited for rapid 
hatching. 
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 
Termites are widely distributed over the world, but increase in 
numbers as the Tropics are approached. There are many species in 
Xorth America. Our common species favipes. according to Marlatt, 
is very widespread over Xorth America. " occurring from the Atlantic 
to the Pacific and from Canada southward to the Gulf. It has been 
found on the mountains of Colorado and Washington at a height of 
over 7.000 feet." This termite has been introduced into Europe, being 
also reported to occur in Japan. S. Hozawa states 1 that Leuco- 
terrnes spretus Kolbe is the only representative of the genus Leuco- 
termes in Japan, and that L. favipes has not been found in Japan. 
Another termite closely allied to favipes. lueifugus. occurring in the 
Mediterranean countries of Europe and also in western France and 
Hungary, but being especially abundant throughout southeastern 
Europe, according to E. A. Schwarz. originated in Mexico. This 
insect has also been introduced into Xorth America (western United 
States). In the United States lueifugus is found in Texas. Arizona. 
Kansas. Colorado, and southern California, and proably occurs else- 
where. This species also occurs at high altitudes in Colorado, i. e., 
about 6.000 feet. The native species virginieus is recorded from the 
District of Columbia. Maryland, and Virginia, but probably has a 
wider distribution. 
In the prairie regions of Texas and Arizona a tube-forming ter- 
mite 2 lives in the ground, in pasture tracts, feeding on the roots of 
grass and other vegetation, often being found under and within dry 
cow dung and under stones. A characteristic habit of this grass- 
destroying species is to cover the stems and roots of vegetation with 
1 Jour, of the College of Science, Tokyo Imperial Univ., v. 35, art. 7, p. 82, Apr. 30, 
1915. "• Revision of the Japanese Termites." 
2 Hamitermes tubiformans Buckley. 
