LIFE HISTORY. 49 
in various localities, but no queens were found with them, and no 
flight took place that could compare with the one noted 'at Baton 
Rouge in 1908. 
At the same time a large number of queen pupae transformed into 
winged queens in a large Janet style nest in the laboratory at Audu- 
bon Park, New Orleans, La. About an equal number of males were 
also present in the same nest, which the junior author watched 
closely for a flight. Nothing of the kind took place. On two occa- 
sions all ants were driven out of the nest — workers, males, and queens — 
to see if they could be induced to fly, but after wandering around for 
a time they all returned to the nest. The males could be seen actively 
pursuing the young queens inside of the nest, and although copulation 
was never actually observed, it must have taken place. In the course 
of time all the queens lost their wings and commenced to lay an 
enormous number of eggs. These eggs hatched, and finally developed 
into workers, proving that they were fertile. The males all died one 
by one, the last one disappearing when about two months old. It is 
therefore evident that the nuptial flight is not a necessity. 
Under natural conditions the tendency toward a general flight may 
be partially controlled by the comparative numbers of males and 
young queens in the nests and colonies. The weather conditions 
about flying time may also exercise a very important influence upon 
the flying impulse; cool, cloudy,, and rainy weather tending to 
restrain the inclination to flight, and warm, clear weather encouraging 
it. The severity of infestation may also be an important factor, as 
the ants would be more likely to fly in crowded communities than in 
localities where they are comparatively scarce. 
The males are much more given to flight than the virgin queens. 
In the formicarium at Baton Rouge males were often found flying 
during their season, and seemed to have no preference as to time of 
flight. They were found flying on cloudy days as well as on clear 
ones and as frequently at night as in the day. 
THE DEALATED, OR FERTILE, QUEEN. 
The dealated queen is illustrated at c, figure 6. The dealated 
queen measures from 4.5 to 5 mm. in length, and queens measuring 
6 mm. in length are not uncommon. It should be remarked here that 
during egg-laying periods the abdomen is much larger and longer 
than shown in the drawing. Normally the abdomen extends well beyond 
the tarsi of the hind legs. Unfortunately, a drawing can not show 
the delicate silky pubescence of the queen's body, and in life she is a 
far more beautiful creature than one would imagine from the drawing, 
correct though the latter is in anatomical detail. 
75508°— Bull. 122—13 4 
