Environmental Entomology (2022) 51, 649-659

Chun-I Chiu, Bo-Ye Chen, Fang-Chih Chang, Kuan-Chi Kuan and Hou-Feng Li (2022)
Functional plasticity of foraging shelter tubes built by termites
Environmental Entomology 51 (4), 649-659
Abstract: Social insects' constructions are diverse and functionally flexible. We aimed to understand how termites modify their behavior and building material to change the function of a shelter tube. Construction behaviors of three termite species, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae), Odontotermes formosanus (Shiraki) (Blattodea: Termitidae), and Nasutitermes takasagoensis (Nawa) (Blattodea: Termitidae), were recorded and analyzed. We measured the thickness and organic matter content of shelter tubes, and further tested their water loss and water drop resistance. All three termite species used a cement-brick construction procedure. The shelter tubes of C. formosanus and N. takasagoensis incorporating of woody material and feces present a strong resistance to water drops. Shelter tubes of the fungus-growing termite, O. formosanus, constructed using only soil and fluid secretion had a weak resistance to water drops. The trade-off between using feces to increase hydrophobicity of shelter tubes and using feces to grow fungus likely occurs in fungus-growing termites. Among intraspecific colonies, increasing the thickness of shelter tube improved resistance to water loss and water drops. This study demonstrated termites employed limited construction material and building behaviors to achieve functional plasticity of foraging shelter.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Hou-Feng Li

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Coptotermes formosanus		Taiwan
	Odontotermes formosanus		Taiwan
	Nasutitermes takasagoensis		Taiwan