Large termite nests in a moundfield on the Embakasi Plain, Kenya (Isoptera: Termitidae)

The Embakasi Plain is covered in a regular array of large, low, vegetation- covered mounds. Two of the mounds were excavated and found to contain large termite nests. One mound (A) contained a very large and active nest of Odo ntotermes montanus estimated to consist of 1106 chambers with 149kg dry wei ght of fungus comb. A second mound (B) contained remnants of a moribund nes t of O. montanus and two active nests of O. kibarensis, each estimated to c onsist of 96 chambers with 18kg dry weight of fungus comb. Another mound ex cavated in 1975 is also briefly described. A hollow in the bedrock undernea th each of the three mounds is interpreted as reflecting different weatheri ng processes under mound and inter-mound soils, probably acting over very l ong periods.