MALE and female termites are equally choosy when it comes to selecting a
mate, says a biologist in New York.
Termites are monogamous. After swarming termites pair off, couples found a
colony and produce thousands of offspring over several years. To study the
pairing process, Janet Shellman-Reeve of Cornell University in Ithaca videotaped
mixed-sex groups of termites on a log.
Thirty per cent of the insects stayed with the partner they chose first.
About 5 per cent were loners, never finding a mate. The rest initially paired
off—but then either dumped their partner or were dumped themselves (
Proceedings of the Royal Society B, vol 266, p 137).
Males and females were equally likely to have second thoughts, which is
unique in the insect world. “They were similar in their degree of choosiness,”
says Shellman-Reeve.
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