300 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XXVI, No. 7 
that this swarming was simultaneous with that of N asutitermes cornigera 
on the Pacific side of the Canal Zone and followed a heavy 12-hour rain 
six days after the beginning of the rainy season in this region. The 
significance of this early swarming in the case of species building all or 
parts of their nest in the ground is discussed under Nasutitermes cornigera . 
Earlier on the same afternoon (April 19) a large number of winged adults 
of A. gracilis were taken from the outer wall of a wasp's nest cut down 
from a royal palm tree in front of the Ancon Dispensary. The nest was 
inhabited by Polybia occidentalis Olivier. 15 
On May 3 and 4, 1921, Mr. Zetek collected winged adults of Anoplo- 
termes gracilis as they flew into a dining room in Panama City. Mr. 
Zetek stated that these winged adults are termed “ Palomitas de San 
Juan" by the natives; however, any flying termites which are dark in 
color are thus termed apparently since both Nasutitermes cornigera and 
Coptotermes niger have been so designated. These winged termites are a 
great nuisance, particularly in dwelling houses. In the Las Sabanas 
region it is necessary to leave the summer homes for the city because of 
the immense hordes of these insects, which not only prevent one from 
eating but also are a disturbance at night. 
The winged adults emerge usually toward dusk, as a rule after the 
first one or two heavy rains of the rainy season. If the afternoon is 
cloudy, and especially if there is a light drizzle, they emerge as early as 
2.30 p. m. They also fly about in the early morning hours. 
Unfortunately these observations were based on two species of ter¬ 
mites, since the winged adults of A. gracilis were in a minority. Most 
of the flying termites were winged adults of Leucotermes convexinotatus. 
CONTROL 
Different remedies and preventives must be instituted in case of dam- 
age by the two groups of termites—namely, those that are subterranean 
in habit, and those nonsubterranean, living in wood. Nearly all cases 
of damage to buildings by subterranean termites are due to careless or 
faulty construction. 
SUBTERRANEAN TERMITES 
The remedy for and prevention of subterranean termites of the family 
Termitidae are practically the same—namely, complete insulation or 
isolation of all untreated wood from the ground. Since subterranean 
termites always require access to damp earth, when the source of mois¬ 
ture is shut off the insects will not be able to extend their galleries further 
and will perish. If such termites already in the wood are shut off from 
the source of supply of moisture in the ground, they will soon perish, 
since they can not live without moisture. It is not necessary to do any¬ 
thing more, since the insects will die when the infested timbers are dis¬ 
connected from the earth, and, furthermore, such infested timbers need 
not be removed or replaced unless seriously weakened structurally. 
Where stone, brick, or concrete foundations are not used, all timbers 
in contact with the ground should be impregnated with coal-tar creosote. 
Injury to living vegetation by wood-boring subterranean termites can 
be prevented by clean cultivation and proper horticultural management. 
16 Determined by S. A. Rohwer, of the Bureau of Entomology, Washington, D. C. Since there 
were no termite runways on the tree (in fact, no workers have been discovered as yet in Panama, nor has 
this termite been found building runways such as are built by the members of the genus Nasutitermes), 
no reason for the association of the termite adults and wasps could be ascertained. 
