Intracolonial demography of the mound-building termite Macrotermes natalensis (Haviland) (Isoptera, Termitidae) in the northern Kruger National Park,South Africa

This paper reports on the number of individuals in Macrotermes natalensis ( Hav.) colonies of different sized mounds in the northern Kruger National Pa rk. Mounds were fully excavated, termites collected by means of vacuuming, and colony size estimated by sub-sampling. The proportion of termites in th e mound (above and underground sections) amounts to more than 70% of the co lony; the rest being present in the surrounding soil (excavated beyond moun d perimeter). It was estimated that, on average, small mounds contain more than 5000, medium mounds more than 45 000, and large mounds more than 200 0 00 individual termites. A highly significant relationship between total ind ividuals (Ar) and mound height (h) was found, given by lnN= 7.893 + 1.093 h (r = 0.92). Highly significant correlations (r(s)> 0.90) were found betwee n and within caste numbers, and their respective ratios given. The proporti on of soldiers was found to change as colonies grew larger.