An Early Swarming of Termites

'!be common specie.~ of termite in and about Nonnan, .Reticulotermu /lavipes. usually swarms in April. Durinl this time, laJ'le numbers of alate forms emerge from the parental nests, take to the air. and eventuallJ seek sites In which to found new colonies. On March 6, 1937, alate forms of each sex of this termite were yen' abundant in at least two locations in Norman. The first speclmena were collected in a garden just before 1 o'clock In the afternoon. 'lbese individuals were alighting there from a large swarm passing overhead. Other specimens were collected from a swarm passing over the campus of the University of Oklahoma at about 2;30 p. m. of the same day. On MarCh 7. a few alate forms were found In the garden referred to above but these were thought to have been derived from the swarm of the previous day. It is perhaps well to note that no swarming of termites was observed in Norman, Oklahoma, in April of this year, even though careful observations were made. The weather on March 6, 1937, was warm and the ftrst part of the day was clear. There was a light rain In the late afternoon and even1nl. Whether these weather-conditions had any casual relation to the exceptionally early swarming of the insects is unknown.