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[Vol. 93 
but the ones specifically reported in this paper were made during the 
period of male activity (January-April). Male behavior was usually 
studied near colonies under intensive study (Peeters, 1984). In such 
colonies the location of all the nest entrances was known (colonies 
are polydomous), and all the workers active outside the nests had 
been color-marked with individual codes. In addition, a few males 
were marked on the thorax and then released. The presence of males 
was determined by observation of their activity outside nests and by 
examination of the contents of excavated nests. 
Results 
Dates of male activity 
Normal winged males are produced in this species and were found 
inside most nests excavated during January-April (Table 1). This 
limited period of male production was confirmed by finding male 
pupae during January-April only. A subjective impression is that 
the number of males present above ground reached a peak in Feb- 
ruary. Excavations also revealed that males are present in every 
nest of a colony. However, nests collected in the same month could 
contain different numbers of males (Table 1). During January and 
February, a few males were seen to be carried between the nests of a 
colony. This carrying did not follow any organized pattern, and 
occurred together with the recruitment of workers and brood. Many 
of the cocoons that were transferred between nests during that 
period contained male pupae (A sample of cocoons then found in 
the nests yielded 70 male pupae and 248 worker pupae). 
The investment in male production does not appear exceptional 
in this queenless species; a colony (464 workers) with five nests 
excavated in February 1982 yielded 60 males (Table 1), and this is in 
addition to those that had already departed as well as pupae. 
Dispersal behavior 
Every day during a three-week observation period in January- 
February 1982, a few males (1-8) left from each of six nests under 
intensive observation. Departing males left the nests, often 
climbed up low vegetation and flew off. Once on the wing, they 
could no longer be followed. The time of departure (9H00 to 12H00) 
often coincided with the period when workers were no longer active 
on the surface because of high soil temperatures. Male exit times 
appeared not to be affected by cloudy or cooler weather. 
