144 
Psyche 
[June 
the Family Kalotermitidae. However, it is strongly suspected that 
the environment under which the following observations were made 
(residential area with irrigated plantings) is far more suitable for 
the rapid entrainment of normal post-flight behavior than for that 
cf other local, but strictly dry-wood species such as Incisitermes 
(—Procryptotermes) hubbardi. The de-alation of many adults 
around lights usually occurs within a few minutes to a half hour 
of their first appearance. This is accomplished through the usual 
bodily contortions and, frequently, by lunging forward and back- 
ward and rubbing the wings against the edges of cracks or protru- 
sions. Similar behavior was also observed by Light (’37). Using 
several groups of alates of both sexes taken at lights, it was found 
that alates would eventually die in possession of their wings when 
confined in a dry environment. In contrast, and even after such 
confinement for several hours, alates rid themselves of their wings 
within one to five minutes upon being released in a petri dish con- 
taining agar and decaying wood. Further, both sexes were observed 
to lose their wings within as little as 30 seconds after being placed 
in a dish containing de-alated individuals. (In similar manipulations 
with Amitermes emersoni \T ermitidae] , alates lost their wings on 
an agar surface which had recently been occupied by de-alated in- 
dividuals.) The readiness with which these alates divested themselves 
of their wings in the presence of others, albeit in a suitable environ- 
ment, suggests that a pheromone may be released by the de-alated 
forms which provokes, or at least facilitates, de-alation. Since a 
strict accounting of the sexes was not kept, it is possible that the 
female odor (either in calling or shortly before) may also stimulate 
this behavior in the males, or even in both sexes. 
Female alates frequently assumed the calling attitude soon after 
alighting on vertical or horizontal surfaces. The abdomen is typically 
raised at an angle of about 25 0 from the horizontal with the tip 
slightly downturned and thus roughly parallel with the surface. 
Under the artificial conditions provided in a petri dish containing 
agar and wood, a single, de-alated female assumed the calling attitude 
many times during three days’ confinement. On the third evening 
a winged male responded to her presence by dropping his wings and 
following her within one minute. These disconnected observations 
on Paraneotermes are strongly suggestive of the post-flight behavior 
of Neotermes tectonae described by Kalshoven (’30) : either sex may 
locate a suitable nesting site where it then survives, apparently capable 
of attracting a mate, for some weeks or months. In species such as 
these where small numbers fly rather frequently over a long season, 
