How Do Termites Protect Themselves?

Protection Against Predators

Termites have natural predators, such as ants, aardvarks and birds. Termites look for food above ground through shelter or mud tubes, which are built by worker termites. The tubes are made from soil, wood, and saliva. These tubes can be many sizes, depending on whether they are made for a few termites or many. Termite structures are strong and often reach deep into the ground to keep predators from reaching them.

Protection Against Nature

If the temperature gets too cold for termites above ground, the worker termites can build tunnels deep into the soil to find warmth. When the opposite happens, when the temperature is too hot, and the termites are in danger of dehydrating, they may move to tunnels that are protected by trees or bushes. The shade helps keep the ground cooler for the termites. Termite mounds are strong and have been known to survive heavy rains, even floods, and fire.

Protection Against Lack of Food or Moisture

Termites will build their shelter tubes to go across bricks or other objects, so they can get to their primary food source--wood, which often is someone's house. They also build many tunnels underground for storing food and for raising their larvae. They may get their moisture, which is very important so they don't become dehydrated, from a house's plumbing or guttering. Termites must keep in contact with soil, and this provides them moisture also.