These are meant to communicate social and reproductive status.

Most species have a large anal scent gland, used for territorial marking and signaling reproductive status.

The female's scent is also complex but need not be long-lasting, since she has only to advertise her current reproductive status.

Female reproductive status was unaffected by the level of infection, nor was the number of eggs she carried.

In addition, other behaviors have been demonstrated to be involved in the maintenance of reproductive status in social insects.

Around two weeks before the first births, the males will begin sniffing the uro-genital openings and pouches of the females to determine their reproductive status.

The adults grow to between 40-60mm in length and mature to reproductive status in 1-2 years.