8 BULLETIN 333, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
DURATION" OF DEVELOPMENT AND LIFE. 
The workers, like the soldiers, complete their development in less 
than a year. The development of the nymphs of the reproductive 
forms (coming from larvae that will mature the sexual organs) 
apparently requires two seasons. 
For the development of the queen of the normal type to the maxi- 
mum size several years are required. 
There are no data on the length of life of individuals of the various 
castes, but the king and queen probably continue to live together for 
many years, under normal conditions, since they are of equal impor- 
tance to the community. 
THE SWARM. 
At a certain season of the year the colonizing, winged, sexed 
individuals are impelled to migrate from the parent colonies in 
decaying logs, stumps, woodwork in buildings, etc. In case of the 
widely distributed species fiavipes z the colonizing forms emerge from 
colonies in April or early in May in the Southern States or the last 
of May or early June in the Northern States: the swarm usually 
occurs in the morning or in the middle of the day. in case of large 
colonies usually lasting about two hours. The southern species 
virginicus swarms in early June, but sometimes as late as the first part 
of August in northern Virginia ; while the species lucifugus of Medi- 
terranean Europe swarms from the middle of October to April in 
Texas. Kansas. Colorado, and on the Pacific coast, usually after show- 
ers. Often several swarms occur from the same colony, extending 
over a period of four weeks. In colonies in infested buildings the 
winged males and females usually emerge about one month before 
the swarm occurs outdoors. 
THE FOUNDATION OF NEW COLONIES. 
After the adults have rapidly emerged from the parent colony, 
from crevices in the infested wood, in a swarm of enormous numbers 
and have flown a short distance in an irregular. " wobbly " manner. 
they fall to the ground. The flight is usually not farther than from 
75 to 100 feet, but the insects, usually flying low. are sometimes car- 
ried farther by the wind. Both during and after the flight they are 
promptly preyed upon and destroyed by many insectivorous animals 
which are attracted to the cloud of flying insects, resulting in an 
enormous mortality. 
Among these enemies are many species of wild birds which are 
attracted to swarms of termites in woodland and greedily capture the 
flying insects in midair. 
