Abstract-The study revealed that there was quantitative recruitment in colonies of Amitermes evuncifer, whenever food was discovered by the scouting foragers. Discovered food stimulated the termites to accelerate their running speed, to and from the food source. Increased trail-laying activity, accelerated movement and carrying of food by the returning workers facilitated recruitment of other confederates from their nest. These activities equally directed the recruited termites to the food source.Amitermes evuncifer was observed to regulate traffic in relation to newly discovered food source. The results showed that there was rapid communication between the termites of food source within 3^ min. It was further observed that the trail to newly found food source did not become dominant over the trail to the already existing food source. The results showed clearly the effect of food on vital activities of termites. On a pu observer que 1'Amitermes evuncifer regit le trafic vers des sources d'alimentation nouvellement decouvertes. Les donnees montrent que les renseignements sur la decouverte des sources d'alimentation sont transmis parti les termites en trois ou quatre minutes environi apres la decouverte. On a note egalement que les traces menant a une source d'alimentation nouvellement decouverte n'a aucun avantage sur une source qui preexistat. Les donnees demontrent clairement les effets qu'ont les vivres sur les activites essentielles des termites.

No abstract

Termite genera such as Cubitermes, Trinervitermes and Macrotermes, are capable of compacting soils, and raising the bulk density too high for plants to colonize their mounds. In contrast, Amitermes has not been found to compact the mound texture, thus allowing the mounds to support plant growth.

Amylase, sucrase and cellulase were detected in the alimentary canals of workers and soldiers of Amitermes evuncifer Silvestri, but only sucrase and cellulase were found in the alimentary canal of the alates. Enzyme activities varied in different parts of the alimentary canal. That high enzyme activities were observed in the guts of the workers (than those of the soldiers) is due to the fact that the workers forage for food which they digest partially before feeding other members of the colony through trophallaxis. The presence of enzymes in the alimentary canals of alates and soldiers indicates that the partially digested food, from the workers, undergoes further digestion in their systems.Resume-On a decouvert dans le tube digestif des ouvriers at des soldats du genre Amitermes evuncifer Silvestri l'amylase, la sucrase et la cellulase; toutefois on n'a trouve que la sucrase et la cellulase dans les organes des ailes. Des effets de diastase se sont constates per differents endroits du tube digestif. Une forte proportion de sucrase et de cellulase par example a ete constatee en plein milieu du boyau de l'ouvrier.Qu'on a pu decouvrir des effets de diastase plus prononces dans le boyau des ouvriers qui'il n'en est chez les soldats s'explique par le fait que les ouvriers fourragent l'aliment qui'il digerent en partie avant de nourrir d'autress membres de la colonie par trophallaxie. La presence de diastases dans le tube digestif des ailes et des soldats indique que l'aliment partiellement digere par les ouvriers est sounis a nouveau a la digestion dans leur systeme.

Some aspects of the chemical characteristics of the crusts of the mounds of four Nigerian termites and physical properties of the crust of the mound of one were studied. It was found generally that the mound crust of Macrotermes bellicosus was poorer in chemical constituents than the surrounding soils. The reverse was the case in the mounds of Amitermes evuncifer Silverstri, Cubitermes sp., and Trinervitermes sp. The hydraulic conductivities of the crust of the mound of A. evuncifer was also determined.