284 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XXVI, No. 7 
NEOTERMES HOEMGRENI 
The winged adults of Neotermes holmgreni were collected by August 
Busck on May 7 and June 13, 1911, at Trinidad River, Republic of 
Panama. Mr. Busck also has specimens from Taboga Island collected 
on the last-mentioned date. The other stages of this species have not 
as yet been collected nor is its economic status in Panama known. 
CRYPTOTERMES THOMPSONAE 
Winged adults of Cryptotermes thompsonae were collected in Mr. 
Dietz’s room at Ancon, Canal Zone, on May 7, 9, 11, and 16, 1919. On 
these days not more than six specimens were seen at any time. The 
emergence took place in the late afternoon, never earlier than 4 o’clock, 
and always following a rain either earlier the same afternoon or during 
the preceding night. 
On June 21, 1921, J. Zetek and I. Molino collected nymphs, soldiers 
and dealated adults, both males and females, of Cryptotermes thompsonae 
from the dry oak baseboard of a revolving bookcase in a room in the 
Health Laboratory at Ancon, Canal Zone. These termites were first noted 
through the characteristic frass on the floor. The board was removed 
and on its upper surface it was found that in places only the thin coat 
of varnish remained, the wood being all destroyed. There were several 
large areas, longitudinal, i. e., parallel in a general way to the grain, 
and, opening into these, small round burrows. (PI. 8, A.) Soldiers 
were very few. When the galleries were opened up the soldiers did not 
assume a vicious attitude; they merely held their mandibles open. 
Nymphs of the sexual forms were very much more abundant. Five 
dealated adults were also present, both sexes being included. 
The time of the swarming of Cryptotermes brevicollis, C. longicollis t 
and C. dudleyi is not known. 
Just why the termites of the family Kalotermitidae (at least the 
species upon which we have data) should swarm in this region during 
the early part of the rainy season (in May and June) is not known, for 
they attack dry wood (or at least comparatively dry wood for a region 
like the Isthmus of Panama), and, as has been pointed out above, they 
are not dependent on a source of moisture in order to continue their 
work. Probably, however, moisture in wood creates a condition favor¬ 
able for beginning excavations. 
In the case of species of the family Termitidae Banks, some species 
of which build conspicuous “nests” or termitaria, the absolute necessity 
for swarming at this time will be pointed out later. 
There are records of injury to timber by other species of the family 
Kalotermitidae the specific identity of which it has been impossible to 
establish. 
In June, 1914, the Western Electric Co. of New York sent nymphs 
of a species in the family Kalotermitidae to the Bureau of Entomology, 
United States Department of Agriculture, for identification. These 
were taken from a bookcase in the National Palace in Panama City. 
On November 11, 1918, Mr. Dietz collected nymphs of a species of 
the family Kalotermitidae which were tunnelling a bureau drawer in 
the Hotel Tivoli at Ancon, Canal Zone. This drawer was made of oak 
veneered with mahogany and both kinds of wood were badly riddled 
by the insects. 
