286 
Psyche 
[September-December 
Since flights were generally sparse, the releasing of 75 alates 
constituted a good flight. Some were larger but some involved 
as few as 10 to 30 alates. 
The longest flights occurred after a cold night when the tem- 
perature rose slowly because the day was hazy or when conditions 
were not quite ideal. One, watched continuously, lasted one hour 
and fifty minutes. On that day the temperature kept hovering 
between 70° and 71° F. Conversely, flights could be quite short. 
One lasted only 39 minutes because, after a heavy fog, the sun 
warmed rapidly to 85° and flying stopped. In this time 10 males 
and 8 females flew and one mating was seen. Another flight was 
cut short in 13 minutes. 
Flights began at varying times in the morning, depending on 
how cold the night had been and how quickly the mound and air 
warmed. The earliest flight seen began at 6:30 a.m. and the latest 
at 10:30 a.m. (E.S.T.). Males and females could come out on 
the mound when the temperature rose above 57° and could be- 
gin to climb at 68° to 70°. A few have been seen to fly at 69° to 
71° but few flew before the temperature reached 72° or above, 
and the best flying took place between 78° and 82°, None was 
seen to fly above 85°. When mound surface reached. 84° to 85°, 
alates no longer came to the surface. (Unless otherwise stated, 
all temperatures were taken 10 inches above the ground, at about 
the height from which ants flew.) 
Various other factors beside temperature determined time 
and length of flight. Rain, darkening sky, or swaying grasses 
could stop or prevent a flight. One stopped at 7:45 a.m. because 
of a strong wind and decreasing light, although temperatures 
were favorable. One lasted until 11:45 a.m. and finally dragged 
to a close when gathering clouds caused the air temperature to 
drop to 70°. When conditions were submarginal, it was some- 
times hard to tell when flight ended because a few alates would 
stay on the nest; and occasionally, at long intervals, one would 
climb and fly. Such a flight could last into the afternoon. 
One day males and females came out of the mound at 64° to 
66° but did not climb because, although the temperature reached 
72°, it fluctuated between this and 62°, going up and down rapidly 
with passing clouds. On another day the “cedar nest” had a flight 
but the other two did not, for different reasons. At the “cherry 
nest” shade kept the temperature too low. “Field nest” alates 
