How Do Termites Protect Their Colony From Predators?

Termites are one of the oldest eusocial insects. They have adapted many survival strategies to protect their colony from predators. These include specialized glands that produce a toxic chemical, as well as a chemical defense that entraps their enemies.

In some species, termite soldiers are specialized to defend the nest. Their heads are large, and their mandibles are large as well. They also use a secretory spray that entraps their enemies. They can also defend themselves by crushing them with their mandibles.

Termites, like ants, have a caste system. Workers, soldiers, and queens all contribute to the survival of the colony. Some termite species have no protective soldiers. Others are less effective against predators.

Some termite colonies have adapted to build thick termite mounds. They can be difficult to penetrate by black ants, which target the eggs of the termite queen. However, they are not present in North America.

There are six different types of ants that actively seek out termites. These insects live in the colony, and some even live inside it. They have a variety of tools to extract termites. Some are specialized to use a tongue, while others are specialized to fish termites from the air with their tongue.

During the spring and summer months, winged termites leave the colony and fly towards the first light they can see. During the winter, they are restrained from leaving.

During this time, the reproductive termites mature and mate. The fertile females lay thousands of eggs per day. These eggs will live up to 50 years.

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