Termites are the ultimate spies—they sneak into ant nests by perfectly mimicking the sound of an ant's footsteps.
March 20, 2026
Original Paper
Vibrational signatures and mimicry in ant-termite and termite-termite interactions
bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.03.15.711937
The Takeaway
Ants and termites are ancient enemies, but some termite species have evolved to walk with a vibrational signature that overlaps with their host ants. This allows them to live as 'inquilines' inside the enemy's nest without being detected.
From the abstract
Eusocial insects fascinate researchers with their sophisticated communication systems and sensory specialisations. Ants and termites have coexisted in a long-standing predator-prey arms race, offering insight into the interplay between ecology and evolution. The subterranean termite Coptotermes acinaciformis can detect the predatory ant Iridomyrmex purpureus through footstep-induced vibrations, triggering defensive responses. Ants produce noisier walking signatures than termites, while the inqui