BIOLOGY OF THE TERMITES OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES. 73 
or seasonal dimorphism has been observed. However, all the indi- 
viduals do not necessarily emerge from the same colony at the same 
time, since there may be several swarms from the same nest. On 
May 14, 1912, at Falls Church sexed adults of flavipes emerged, 
although not in great numbers, from colonies, whereas there was 
evidence, by the discarded wings on the ground, of an earlier swarm. 
Most of the colonizing individuals had swarmed from other colonies 
on May 8; yet some individuals, not in the enormous numbers of 
the first swarm, were observed swarming from the same colonies on 
May 14. While there may be as many as four swarms, the first is 
usually the largest. This may be explained by the fact that there 
is an uneven development of individuals. Indeed, a few retarded, 
winged, sexed adults (virginicus) may remain in the colony till July 
24 (near Kane, 111.) and early August (District of Columbia) or be 
found, as individuals, flying. A large swarm of virginicus has 
emerged from a colony as late as August 11, 1913, at Falls Church. 
The winged insects usually crawl up to some elevated place before 
taking flight. There is an enormous mortality of the colonizing 
individuals, and insectivorous animals destroy them in great num- 
bers. The swarm is not a " nuptial flight." 
The so-called " amatory passages" possess a sexual significance, 
and there is a mutual attraction between the sexes several days 
before the normal period of swarming. This can be observed if the 
colony is disturbed and the colonizing forms emerge prematurely, and 
is evidenced even before the loss of the wings. This attraction, 
probably due to some secretion, continues till after the royal pair is 
established in the royal cell and copulation has taken place. Copula- 
tion probably occurs a week after the swarm of flavipes; that is, on 
May 15 adults that had swarmed on May 8 were in the royal cell and 
apparently no longer following each other about, head close to abdo- 
men, as previously. There is evidence that individuals of neither 
sex are sexually mature at the time of swarming, and that there is 
further development before copulation, as can be noted in the increase 
in size of the abdomen of both sexes. 
The colonizing individuals are not all irretrievably lost. a The 
establishment of new colonies by these forms is a normal process. 
Although there is an enormous mortality at the time of the swarm, 
and a still further diminution in numbers due to inability to become 
established under favorable conditions, yet some pairs do become 
established. These sexed adults are not necessarily monogamous. 
a Perris, E. Nouvelles promenades entomologiques, Termes lucifugus. Ann. Soe. 
Ent. France, ser. 5, t. 6, p. 201-202, 1876. 
Perez, J. Sur la formation de colonies nouvelles chez le termite lucifuge ( Termes 
lucifugus). Compt. Rend. Acad.,Sci. (Paris), t, 119, No. 19, p. 804-806, Nov. 5, 1894. 
Heath, Harold. Loc. cit. 
