Termite Pheromones: The Wonders of Communication

Termite infestation is one of the most common problems of homes in the United States. A lot people have lost parts of their homes to these tiny creatures that often eat up parts of the house and weaken its foundations. Often times we wonder how these tiny creatures communicate with each other and how they coordinate their efforts. Termites live in large colonies and yet they seem to function in an orderly manner. Do these tiny creatures rely on their termite pheromones to send messages to each other?

According to scientists who have been studying the relationship and behavior of insects, termite pheromones play a big role in their communication process. Termite pheromones can send coded messages to its species within a certain radius. In the case of termites, the queen is said to be source of the big chunk of termite pheromones. The queen is the center of the termites’ existence and they naturally rely on the queen to keep them all together.

Aside from being centered on the queen, the termite community functions according to their designated roles. Termites have their soldiers and workers and these groups function in a decentralized swarm manner. According to studies, termite pheromones help these small creatures communicate with each other and are able to work as a team. Termites are able to travel in an organized manner by following the termite pheromones left by those who are ahead of them.

Lessons from Termites

Although most of us would rather treat termites as pest that attacks our homes, if you take a closer look at the activities and the organization structures of termite colonies, you will be able to learn some valuable lessons of communication and organization. Note that when it comes to well organized groups, termite colonies have one of the most effective system. As each member of the colony respond to the messages coded in their termite pheromones, the huge community of termites is able to move as a team.

Taken into our modern day company structures and behaviors, the lessons from the termites can help in building a more cohesive organization. As we can observe in the behavior of termites, they communicate well through their termite pheromones. They also have a good reward system - when after the workers finish their work, the queen secretes fluid which the workers drink. Understandably, the juice from the queen is a very important part of the termite diet and it is considered a great reward if members of the community are allowed to drink from it.