Before her study of Z nevadensis honeymoons, Shellman-Reeve documented a pattern of termite homesteading that would make a mortgage banker proud. Within hours of flying to a likely log and making their ultimate mate choice, newly paired termites are building their future home. They erect concrete-like walls from their own fecal matter to keep interlopers away from the sections of the log they intend to mine. The nitrogen-rich cambium portion of trees is the most coveted by termites because other parts of wood are less nutritious for a growing family. The wood-mining colony, clustered around the original termite pair, can remain in place for years as offspring help with family duties, and one large log may host dozens of separate termite colonies. If the food runs out, termites sprout wings and look for another nitrogen-rich log to colonize.
Shellman-Reeve's latest study concentrated on the first 90 minutes of homesteading, when the nest site is just an unimproved, 2- or 3-centimeter spot on the log's surface. The Cornell biologist found both male and female termites willing to desert their home to search for someone better, but females are more likely to stay and invite a second male to the nest site as a way of securing a potentially better mate. Although male termites occasionally initiate what Shellman-Reeve terms the "stay-and-invite" strategy, they are more likely to follow a "leave-and-search" strategy for a better mate.
Whether at the nest or on the prowl, the dissatisfied mate rises up on its legs
and begins a bouncy, stilt-walking motion while wiggling a section of its
abdomen where a pheromone-producing gland is found. The airborne chemical
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Contact: Roger Segelken
hrs2@cornell.edu
607-255-9736
Cornell University News Service
21-Jan-1998