Forest Entomology Division, Forest Research Institute, P.O. New Forest, Dehra Dun-248 006, Uttar Pradesh (India).
Influence of group size and dependent castes on wood consumption and digestion coeffcient (9%) in the termite, Neotermes bosei Snyder, was investigated. A group of 5 pseudoworkers consumed maximum (34.7 mg/gm termites/day) food at 35°C which gradually decreased as group size increased, the minimum (7.7 mg) being in the group of 100 individuals. The food consumption decreased with the decrease in temperature, the minimum being at 15°C. The digestion coemcient (%) was maximum (74.9–67.896) for the group of 5 individuals and minimum (59.9–52.1%) for 100 individuals at ail the temperatures, viz, 15°, 27° and 35°C. The presence of dependent castes (soldiers/larvae) with feeding groups did not show marked differences in wood consumption and digestion coefficient (%). This indicated that pseudoworkers are automatons, consuming food sufficient for themselves, plus a tixed but ample quota for dependents.
