Abstract: This paper deals with the polyethism in Reticulitermes fukienensis Light.Experiment showed that the older workers undertake the scouting behavior even whensoldiers are absent, and foraging polyethism exists inside the termite colonies. After observing the gut contents of the larvae and workers it was found there is no semi-soliddark brown materials inside the larva's gut parts and a large amount of semi-solid dark brown materials inside the gut parts of workers, it can be inferred that larvae feed themselves on liquid foods through trophallaxis and sucking and workers feed themselves on fiber materials. On the aspect of the gut structure for larvae and workers, their paunches have undergone developmental change, from slender tubular gut to expanding sac.Age seems to play a role in the polyethism in R. fukienensis.

Key words: Reticulitermes fukienensis Light, polyethism, scouting behavior, foraging behavior Acknowledgments This work was carried out under the supervision of Dr. M. W. J. Crosland at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. The author is very grateful to Dr. Crostand for his kind supervision and greatly appreciates the helps of Dr. M. Shakarad and Ms. D. Lee in accomplishing the work.