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Termes Lacessitus. 
“ Occasionally seen on the tranks of para rubber and Rambong but 
not doing any damage. Nest of papery material, usually in trees and 
shrubs in secondary jungle. A species of no economic importance.” 
Termes Umbrinus. 
“ This species nests in the stumps of dead trees and is often seen 
on the march in enormous numbers, frequently travelling a distance 
of two or three hundred yards in columns a couple of inches wide. 
It apparently feeds on dead leaves, twigs, etc., and is occasionally seen 
in houses situated near the jungle but does not do any harm.” 
Means of Distinguishing Termes Gestroi. 
A somewhat crude means of distinguishing T. gestroi from many 
of the other species of Termites is to press the abdomen of the 
soldier slightly or irritate its body in some way ; a white milky fluid 
will then be exuded from the front and top part of the head, at the 
same time it will attack its aggressor most voraciously with its madi- 
bles. Although T. gestroi is by no means the only species which 
exudes milky fluid from the anterior part of the head the discharge of 
this combined with the close association this species has with rubber 
trees will be sufficient to identify it- 
It is of importance that all planters should be able to recognise 
the soldier. To the unaided eye the chief difference between the 
soldier and the other castes of this species is in the head and its 
appendages i.e. by the latter possessing a pair of elongate slender 
mandibles. In T. gestroi the colour of the abdomen varies accord- 
ing to the nature of the food it has been devouring, but generally it is 
of a white or slightly creamy colour, sometimes grey ; the head is red 
brown. 
It is also much more active and certainly more daring than the 
majority of species. 
General Observations on Termes Gestroi. 
The damage caused by T. gestroi to para rubber trees of 
practically all ages (9 months and upwards) has deservedly earned for 
this pest the reputation of being the planter’s most serious enemy here. 
Its insidious method of attack, cryptic habits, prolificness, and rapid 
completion of its destructive work render it one of the most difficult 
pests to deal with. Towards the latter end of this year (1907) I dis- 
covered at Kuala Selangor for the first time the Queen of this species. 
It was contained within a small royal cell, and surrounded by many 
thousands of eggs, young, soldiers, and workers. Along the edge of the 
parit (open drain) where the Queen was found some 15-20 rubber 
trees about 8-9 years old had been destroyed by gestroi . All of these 
trees were carefully examined, and in each case it was found that the 
burrows leading away from them terminated at the main nest, the 
individuals of which were thus responsible for the destruction of at 
least 15 large trees. 
It will be fully realized how useless it would be to treat separately 
these trees, merely by digging around their bases and so exposing the 
