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To termites, any violation of their tunnels or nests is a cause for alarm. When termites detect a potential violation, the soldiers usually bang their heads, apparently to entice other soldiers for defence and also to recruit additional employees to fix any breach.56 Additionally, an alarmed termite bumps into other termites which induces them to be alarmed and to leave pheromone trails to the distressed area, which can be a way to recruit additional workers.56.
The pantropical subfamily Nasutitermitinae has a specialised caste of soldiers, known as nasutes, that possess the ability to exude noxious liquids through a horn-like frontal projection that they use for defence.155 Nasutes have lost their mandibles throughout the course of evolution and must be fed by workers.59 A wide variety of monoterpene hydrocarbon solvents have been identified in the fluids that nasutes secrete.156 Similarly, Formosan subterranean termites have been known to secrete naphthalene to safeguard their nests.157.
Soldiers of those species Globitermes sulphureus commit suicide by autothysis rupturing a large gland just beneath the surface of the cuticles. The thick, yellowish fluid in the gland becomes quite sticky on contact with the atmosphere, entangling ants or other insects that are trying to invade the nest.158159 Another termite, Neocapriterme taracua, also engages in suicidal defence.
When soldiers guarding nest entrances are attacked by intruders, they engage in autothysis, creating a cube which denies entry to any outsider.161.
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Workers use several different strategies to take care of their deceased, including burying, cannibalism, and avoiding a corpse altogether.162163164 To avoid pathogens, termites occasionally engage in necrophoresis, in which a nestmate carries away a corpse from the colony to dispose of it everywhere.165 Which approach is utilized depends on the nature of this corpse a worker is dealing with (i.e.
A species of fungus is known to mimic termite eggs, successfully avoiding its natural predators. These small brown balls, known as"termite balls", rarely kill the eggsand in certain circumstances the employees tend to them.166 This fungus mimics these eggs by producing a cellulose-digesting enzyme known as glucosidases.167 A unique mimicking behaviour exists between various species of Trichopsenius beetles and certain termite species within Reticulitermes.
This chemical mimicry makes it possible for the beetles to integrate themselves within the termite colonies.168 The developed appendages on the physogastric abdomen of Austrospirachtha mimetes enables the beetle to mimic a termite worker.169.
Some species of ant are known to capture termites to use as a fresh food source after on, rather than killing them. By way of example, Formica nigra captures termites, and those who attempt to escape are instantly seized and driven underground.170 Certain species of ants in the subfamily Ponerinae conduct these raids although other ant species go in alone to steal the eggs or nymphs.146 Ants like Megaponera analis assault the outside of mounds and Dorylinae ants assault underground.146171 Despite this, some termites and ants can coexist peacefully.
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54 species of ants are known to inhabit Nasutitermes mounds, both inhabited and abandoned ones.174 One reason many ants reside in Nasutitermes mounds is due to the termites' frequent occurrence in their own geographical range; another would be to protect themselves from flooding.174175 Iridomyrmex also inhabits termite mounds but no evidence for any kind of relationship (other than the usual one) is known.116 In rare situations, certain species of termites live inside active ant colonies.176 Some invertebrate organisms such as beetles, caterpillars, flies and millipedes are termitophiles and dwell inside termite Learn More colonies (they are unable to survive independently).56 As a result, certain beetles and flies have evolved with their hosts.
Mounds may also provide shelter and heat to birds, lizards, snakes and scorpions.56.
Termites are known to carry pollen and regularly visit blossoms,177 so are considered as potential pollinators for a number of flowering plants.178 One blossom in particular, Rhizanthella gardneri, is frequently pollinated by foraging workers, and it's perhaps the only Orchidaceae flower in the world to be pollinated by termites.177
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Many plants have grown powerful defences against termites. However, seedlings are vulnerable to termite attacks and need additional protection, as their defence mechanisms only develop when they've passed the seedling phase.179 Defence is typically achieved by secreting antifeedant chemicals into the woody cell walls.180 This lowers the ability of termites to efficiently digest the cellulose.
When kept near the extract, they get disoriented and eventually die.181.
Termite populations can be substantially influenced by environmental changes including those caused by human intervention. A Brazilian research investigated the termite assemblages of three sites of Caatinga under different levels of anthropogenic disturbance in the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil were sampled using 65 x 2 m transects.182 A total of 26 species of termites were present in the 3 sites, and 196 encounters were listed in the transects.