diff --git a/Sources/NetworkCityApp/BuildingNode.swift b/Sources/NetworkCityApp/BuildingNode.swift
index 3b0f9d8..d0493d0 100644
--- a/Sources/NetworkCityApp/BuildingNode.swift
+++ b/Sources/NetworkCityApp/BuildingNode.swift
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ final class BuildingNode: SKNode {
     private let core: SKShapeNode
     private let title: SKLabelNode
     private let subtitle: SKLabelNode
-    private var cumulative: Double = 0
+    private var activity: Double = 0
 
     private let spokeLayer = SKNode()
     private let endpointLayer = SKNode()
@@ -106,13 +106,11 @@ final class BuildingNode: SKNode {
 
     func note(activeHosts: [String]) { knownHosts.formUnion(activeHosts) }
 
-    /// React to a tick of traffic: grow toward a size set by total volume, and
-    /// pulse so the eye catches the activity.
+    /// React to a tick of traffic: bump the (decaying) activity level, grow
+    /// toward a size set by it, and pulse so the eye catches the activity.
     func receive(bytes: Double) {
-        cumulative += bytes
-        let target = (0.30 + CGFloat(log10(cumulative + 1)) * 0.09).clamped(0.30, 1.05)
-        glow.removeAction(forKey: "resize")
-        glow.run(.scale(to: target, duration: 0.6), withKey: "resize")
+        activity += bytes
+        updateGlowSize()
 
         core.removeAction(forKey: "pulse")
         core.run(.sequence([
@@ -121,6 +119,23 @@ final class BuildingNode: SKNode {
         ]), withKey: "pulse")
     }
 
+    /// Called every tick. Activity decays so quiet hubs visibly shrink toward
+    /// dormant instead of staying bright forever.
+    func decay(factor: Double = 0.55) {
+        guard activity > 0 else { return }
+        activity *= factor
+        updateGlowSize()
+    }
+
+    /// Ticks since this hub last carried traffic — used to reap dead districts.
+    var idleTicks = 0
+
+    private func updateGlowSize() {
+        let target = (0.20 + CGFloat(log10(activity + 1)) * 0.085).clamped(0.20, 1.05)
+        glow.removeAction(forKey: "resize")
+        glow.run(.scale(to: target, duration: 0.6), withKey: "resize")
+    }
+
     // MARK: - Expansion
 
     /// The capped, stably-ordered list of endpoints we actually draw.
diff --git a/Sources/NetworkCityApp/CityScene.swift b/Sources/NetworkCityApp/CityScene.swift
index 2bece15..c21134f 100644
--- a/Sources/NetworkCityApp/CityScene.swift
+++ b/Sources/NetworkCityApp/CityScene.swift
@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@ final class CityScene: SKScene {
     /// Called with a district key when a hub is clicked, or nil when empty space
     /// is clicked (deselect).
     var onSelect: ((String?) -> Void)?
+    /// Called when a district is demolished, so the controller can prune its state.
+    var onReap: ((String) -> Void)?
+    /// Demolish a district after this many idle ticks (~2s each). Env-tunable for testing.
+    private let reapAfterTicks = Int(ProcessInfo.processInfo.environment["NC_REAP_TICKS"] ?? "") ?? 20
     private let selectionRing = SKShapeNode(circleOfRadius: 24)
     private var dragDistance: CGFloat = 0
 
@@ -160,9 +164,17 @@ final class CityScene: SKScene {
     /// Render a tick of per-org traffic: ensure each district exists, decide
     /// which ones are busy enough to fan out, then dispatch cars accordingly.
     func apply(_ districts: [DistrictTraffic]) {
+        // 0. Age every hub: decay its glow and count idle ticks. Active hubs
+        //    reset below; dead ones get reaped at the end of the tick.
+        for (_, hub) in buildings {
+            hub.decay()
+            hub.idleTicks += 1
+        }
+
         // 1. Ensure hubs exist and learn their endpoints.
         for t in districts {
             let hub = building(forKey: t.key, title: t.title, subtitle: t.subtitle)
+            hub.idleTicks = 0
             hub.note(activeHosts: t.endpoints.map(\.host))
             hub.receive(bytes: Double(t.inBytes + t.outBytes))
             if let rtt = t.rttMs { repositionToLatency(key: t.key, rttMs: rtt) }
@@ -218,6 +230,26 @@ final class CityScene: SKScene {
                 }
             }
         }
+
+        // 4. Demolish districts that have been idle too long.
+        for key in buildings.keys where (buildings[key]?.idleTicks ?? 0) > reapAfterTicks {
+            reap(key)
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Fade out and remove a dead district, clearing all of its scene state.
+    private func reap(_ key: String) {
+        buildings[key]?.run(.sequence([.fadeOut(withDuration: 0.7), .removeFromParent()]))
+        roads[key]?.run(.sequence([.fadeOut(withDuration: 0.7), .removeFromParent()]))
+        buildings[key] = nil
+        roads[key] = nil
+        latencyRadius[key] = nil
+        targetPos[key] = nil
+        if ringKey == key { highlight(key: nil); onSelect?(nil) }
+        onReap?(key)
+        if ProcessInfo.processInfo.environment["NC_DEBUG"] != nil {
+            FileHandle.standardError.write(Data("[reap] \(key)\n".utf8))
+        }
     }
 
     private func carCount(_ bytes: UInt64) -> Int {
diff --git a/Sources/NetworkCityApp/TrafficController.swift b/Sources/NetworkCityApp/TrafficController.swift
index 19f0d1f..3118174 100644
--- a/Sources/NetworkCityApp/TrafficController.swift
+++ b/Sources/NetworkCityApp/TrafficController.swift
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@ final class TrafficController: ObservableObject {
         scene.onSelect = { [weak self] key in
             MainActor.assumeIsolated { self?.select(key) }
         }
+        scene.onReap = { [weak self] key in
+            MainActor.assumeIsolated { self?.prune(key) }
+        }
         if ProcessInfo.processInfo.environment["NC_DEMO"] != nil {
             startDemo()
             return
@@ -175,6 +178,17 @@ final class TrafficController: ObservableObject {
 
     func deselect() { select(nil) }
 
+    /// A district was demolished — drop its rendering/inspection state. The
+    /// resolution + RTT caches are kept (small, bounded by distinct hosts, and
+    /// save rework if the district comes back).
+    private func prune(_ key: String) {
+        orgEndpoints[key] = nil
+        orgProcesses[key] = nil
+        orgTitles[key] = nil
+        lastEndpointBytes[key] = nil
+        if selectedKey == key { selectedKey = nil; selection = nil }
+    }
+
     private func buildInspection(_ key: String) -> OrgInspection {
         let hosts = orgEndpoints[key] ?? []
         var infos: [EndpointInfo] = []