Subterranean termites construct tunnels that radiate away from the initial release chamber when placed in a 2-dimensional foraging arena. When workers are subjected to a 90o lateral deflection, they use idiothetic (vector) navigation to reestablish tunnel vectors that approximate their original heading, continuing to radiate away from the release chamber.
Species 1: Isoptera Rhinotermitidae Reticulitermes flavipes (Subterranean Termite)
Species 2: Isoptera Rhinotermitidae Coptotermes formosanus (Formosan Subterranean Termite)
Keywords: tunneling, navigation
Back to Ten-Minute Papers, Subsection Cb. Apiculture and Social Insects (Termites and Honey Bees)
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