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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Cockroaches and Termites (Blattodea) » Blattoidea » Epifamily Termitoidae - Termites » Subterranean Termites (Rhinotermitidae) » Reticulitermes
Photo#518547
Termite? - Reticulitermes
Copyright © 2011 Jon Hart

Termite? - Reticulitermes
Montrose, Laurens County, Georgia, USA
April 29, 2011
Size: unrecorded
These guys were out in force one day last month, mainly landing on the pine trees. Bad move on their part as the Atomosia flies and ants living in and on the trees had them literally for dinner. After landing, the termites would buddy up in teams of two, one following directly behind the other like a locomotive and its coal car and dash about looking for what I don't know. I have photos of that and individuals sans wings if needed.
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Contributed by Jon Hart on 21 May, 2011 - 7:19pm
Last updated 23 May, 2011 - 10:32am

Moved
You have caught this adult termite in the process of snapping off its wings in preparation for transitioning back to life under ground after its brief flight away from the home colony. They have virtually no defense against predators, making the frantic search for a mate understandable. The identification of species requires examination of microscopic characters or else measurement of multiple members of a colony to get ranges in size or character state.

Moved from Isoptera (Termites).
… John Carlson, 23 May, 2011 - 10:32am login or register to post comments

Moved for expert attention
Moved from ID Request.
… Ken Wolgemuth, 21 May, 2011 - 7:26pm login or register to post comments

It's called "tandem running."
A male follows a female until they locate a suitable spot to begin a new nest.
… Ken Wolgemuth, 21 May, 2011 - 7:25pm login or register to post comments

 
Aha!
I had suspected something along those lines, but having never seen that behaviour, I was at a loss. Thanks, Ken!
… Jon Hart, 21 May, 2011 - 7:28pm login or register to post comments

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