Abstract
-A 2-yr field study was done to measure seasonal changes in feeding rates, number of workers, mass of individual workers and percentage of soldiers of foraging groups from colonies of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, living in cypress trees (Taxodium distichum [L.] Rich.) at the Calcasieu River near Lake Charles, Louisiana. There was distinct seasonality with most dependent variables. Feeding rate was highest in summer and varied positively with day length and daily maximum temperature. Number of workers was highest in summer, increased with increasing day length but leveled off at higher values of day length. Mass of individual workers was fairly uniform but tended to be higher in summer; it varied positively with temperature but leveled off at higher temperatures. Percentage of soldiers was highest in early winter and varied inversely with day length and temperature. On average, these colonies ate 7265.2 ? 1653.3 g (range = 4647.1 g to 9969.9 g) of pine (Pinus sp.) wood in baits over 2 yr.
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