Scientists Zero In on How Termites Coordinate Mating Behavior for Colony Success
By utilizing two of the most invasive termite species in Florida, scientists have gained insights into how animals living in groups—termites particularly—coordinate their leader-follower behaviors to thrive.
Thomas Chouvenc, an assistant professor of urban entomology at the UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center (REC), collaborated with colleagues at Arizona State University on new research. In the study, scientists used Formosan subterranean termites and Asian subterranean termites—two of the most invasive species in Florida.
A new paper “Coordination of movement via complementary interactions of leaders and followers in termite mating pairs” in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B explores the hidden relationship in termite species behind the behavioral traits of leaders and followers.
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