146 
Psyche 
[June 
without producing any eggs. On the other hand, pairs of replace- 
ment reproductives have appeared in large laboratory subcolonies of 
1000-2000 individuals, and these have produced dozens of eggs 
which hatched successfully over the course of a year or more. Coloniz- 
ing pairs have been found a few hours after flights under pieces of 
dead wood in the study area. In the desert where the soil is hard and 
dry during much of the flight season, pairs may find points suitable 
for digging in next to, or beneath, dead wood. The sequence of 
post-flight behavior thus appears to bear certain similarities to that 
of many subterranean termites. 
Predators. — It has been assumed that most of the diurnal reptiles 
would find no opportunity for feeding on Paraneotermes. It was, 
therefore, a surprise when Asplund (’64) found 24 alates in one, 
and 10 in another, stomach of the tree lizard, Urosaurus ornatus. 
Such numbers suggest that the alates may have been taken at their 
emergence holes. 
Observations in the study area and surrounding desert have estab- 
lished that most of the common birds have ceased their feeding ac- 
tivities and final vocal chorus shortly before the daily flight; periods 
of Paraneotermes begin. Both Nighthawks and bats have been seen 
patrolling the area as early as five minutes before sunset and until 
no longer visible, approximately 25 minutes after sunset. Although 
no stomachs from any birds in the area have been examined, many 
stomachs of several species of bats have been carefully studied. Un- 
determined fragments of termite wings were found in the stomachs 
of three specimens of the Hoary Bat, Lasiurus cinereus , taken either 
in southern Arizona or New Mexico (Ross, ’64). 
Discussion. — In the preceding presentation a variety of prob- 
lems have arisen and possible approaches to their solutions have been 
suggested by the evidence at hand. A few additional questions of a 
more general nature are included here. During the long flight season 
of Paraneotermes there are many evenings when no flights are staged. 
In 1962 flights were recorded on only 29 out of 91 evenings between 
the inclusive dates July 9 — Sept. 7. On at least 15 of these evenings 
rain or moderate to strong winds occurred which are probably valid 
deterrents to flight. In this connection it should be worth determin- 
ing the temperature limits within which the alates are capable of 
sustained flight. For example, on 13 evenings, the combinations of 
temperature and relative humidity (at sunset plus 15 minutes) were 
outside the range determined for a total of 49 flights in the study 
area (fig. 6). Allowing for a few flights which may have been 
missed, this still leaves 34 evenings, or over one-third of the total, 
