Swarming Behavior of the Termite, Eremoterines neoparadoxalis Ahmad (Termitidae: Amitermitianae) at Jodhpur (Western India)

Abstract

Observations on swarming in Eremolermes neoparadoxalis were made,' in the field at Jodhpur (Rajasthan). Swarming takes place usually with the pre-monsoon heavy showers, which generally occur during June and early July but occasionally, in May also. Alates wait in "Swarming Chamber" and emerge from small holes in the ground in early evening. Duri~g emergence-flight, no intimate association is seen between males and females but when the alates descend to the ground and shed their wings, they show tandem coupling behavior. Normally, only one pair settles down in each brood chamber, but sometimes, two to three pairs are seen together in a single brood chamber. Based on the observations of last II years (1987-1997), influence of pre-monsoon and monsoon showers on the emergence of alates is discussed.