Flight and Colony Foundation**This contribution and some of the unpublished work contained herein were supported by State Research Project 461 in the Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Arizona, Tucson.

Pathogenic Dynamics During Colony Ontogeny Reinforce Potential Drivers of Termite Eusociality: Mate Assistance and Biparental Care

“…First, winged reproductives swarm away from their natal colony without displaying any apparent social cohesion (∼solitary stage). After attracting a mate, the dewinged alates establish a monogamous pair that engages in frequent social interactions (Nutting, 1969;Shellman-Reeve, 1990, 1999Rosengaus and Traniello, 1991;Brent et al, 2007). Such monogamy often correlates with biparental care and mate assistance in termites (Shellman-Reeve, 1997a,b;Klug, 2018).…”

“…In nature, swarming alates fall prey to diverse aerial and terrestrial predators (Sheppe, 1970;Delighne et al, 1981;Dial and Vaughan, 1987;Lepage, 1991;Matsuura and Nishida, 2002). The few that survive have to quickly locate a mate, shed their wings, and search for an adequate nesting site before desiccation takes a toll (Nutting, 1969). The search for a nest involves scurrying above ground, under the leaf-litter and/or subterraneously, environments known for their high microbial, potentially pathogenic, loads (Cruse, 1998;Schmid-Hempel, 1998;Rosengaus et al, 2003Rosengaus et al, , 2011Tunaz and Stanley, 2009;Chouvenc et al, 2011).…”

“…3 Nalepa (1991Nalepa ( , 2010Nalepa ( , 2015, Hunt and Nalepa (1994), Higashi et al (2000) and Shellman-Reeve (2013). 4 Hamilton (1978), Korb and Heinze (2008) and Nutting (1969). 5 Nalepa (1991Nalepa ( , 2015.…”

“…5 Nalepa (1991Nalepa ( , 2015. 6 Hamilton (1978) and Nutting (1969). 7 Hamilton (1978) and Nutting (1969).…”

“…6 Hamilton (1978) and Nutting (1969). 7 Hamilton (1978) and Nutting (1969). 8 Boomsma (2009Boomsma ( , 2013.…”