298 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XXVI, No. 7 
NASUTITERMES GUAYANAE VAR. COLUMBICUS 
Only one nest of Nasutitermes guayanae var. columbicus has been 
found. This was discovered in the Sabanas region, Republic of Panama, 
on July 19, 1919 (PI. 2, B). In general the nests are built like those 
of N. cornigera. In texture and internal structure they are insepa¬ 
rable from those of the two preceding species, although in shape they 
are decidedly different, as is shown in Plate 2, the carton nest being 
nothing more than a covering of the object to which it is attached and 
formed of numerous confluent and piled up runways. There is, in other 
words, no regular exterior separate nest. 
On January 31, 1920, Mr. Zetek found specimens of workers and 
soldiers of Nasutitermes guayanae var. columbicus on a cacao plantation 
at Las Cascadas, Canal Zone. 
On April 28, 1921, Zetek and Molino collected workers, soldiers, 
nymphs, and winged adults of Nasutitermes guayanae var. columbicus in 
a rotten log on an avocado plantation at Frijoles, Canal Zone. These 
specimens were collected from tunnels and a semidefinite “nest” on a 
piece of branch at the base of an avocado tree. There was no well- 
formed nest and it appeared as if the termites entered from the soil. 
This semidefinite nest was in a hollow of the branch, about 1 foot long 
by about 6 inches wide. There were about five tunnels in the branch. 
The branch was well rotted but still firm. With these were found 
soldiers of Leucotermes tenuis. 
On June 16, 1921, Messrs. Zetek and Molino collected workers and 
nasuti of Nasutitermes guayanae var. columbicus from covered tunnels 
on the trunk of an avocado tree at Frijoles, Canal Zone. These tunnels 
were very close to the hole from which soldiers of Coptotermes niger were 
collected. No nest was present and the tunnels did not communicate 
with the hole so far as could be determined. 
There is no doubt that this species may become as serious a pest as 
the two preceding ones, for, like them, it not merely builds runways over 
the surface of the wood but tunnels it as well. In this instance it was 
apparent that the fence post on which the carton nest occurred was 
not only being tunnelled from below the ground upward, but also down¬ 
ward from beneath the tin capping with which it was covered. 
swarming # 
Winged forms of this species ready for flight were taken at Frijoles, 
Canal Zone, on April 28, 1921, in a log. 
On June 16, 1921, Zetek and Molino collected at Frijoles, Canal Zone, 
winged adults of Nasutitermes guayanae var. columbicus with workers 
and nasuti from a piece of rotten avocado limb on the ground at the 
base of a tree. The wood was well riddled and there were some covered 
tunnels on the outside which communicated with the ground. No nest 
was found. The winged adults were very abundant, being packed in 
small pockets; when these were opened they began to fly about at once. 
This was at about 10.30 a. m. 
OTHER SPECIES OF NASUTITERMES 
One other species of Nasutitermes is recorded from Panama, namely, 
N. pilifrons Holmgren. The specimens were all collected by Busck in 
1911 and the determinations were made from winged adults. 
