Termites assess wood size by using vibration signals.
Contrary to the common perception that termites are indiscriminant eaters, termites choose their food carefully; however, the methods by which they choose food are not well understood. Using choice experiments and recordings of termites feeding on wooden blocks of different sizes, we show that worker drywood termites (Cryptotermes domesticus) use the resonant frequency of a block of wood to assess its size. Drywood termites showed differences in their response to vibration recordings of termites compared with artificially generated signals, suggesting that they can discriminate the source of vibration. Furthermore, fewer workers matured into neotenic reproductives when recorded termite signals were played, suggesting that vibration signals play an important role in termite communication.
Evans
Theodore A
TA
Division of Entomology, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Clunies Ross Street, Canberra ACT 2600, Australia. theo.evans@csiro.au
Lai
Joseph C S
JC
Toledano
Emilie
E
McDowall
Lee
L
Rakotonarivo
Sandrine
S
Lenz
Michael
M
D000818:Animals; D003142:Communication; D005518:Food Preferences; D020049:Isoptera / Q000502:physiology*; D014732:Vibration; D014934:Wood
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