Termite species exhibits unique defense tactic
JUL 27, 2012
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.026204
Nature : A species of termite has been found to use a sophisticated system for fighting off its enemies: The older workers serve as suicide bombers. Researchers led by Robert Hanus of the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry in Prague, Czech Republic, have published the results of their study of Neocapritermes taracua, a termite found in the rainforests of French Guiana. As the worker termites age, they develop pouches containing blue crystals secreted by a pair of glands on their abdomens. When the termites are bitten by their enemies, the pouches burst and the crystals mix with the insects’ saliva, which produces a toxic blue liquid. In this way, although older termites are less able to forage, they can still prove useful to their colony.
© 2012 American Institute of Physics
