Delattre O. auteur aut IRD Sobotnik J. auteur aut IRD Jandak V. auteur aut IRD Synek J. auteur aut IRD Cvacka J. auteur aut IRD Jiricek O. auteur aut IRD Bourguignon T. auteur aut IRD Sillam-Dussès David auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf born digital access Termites have evolved diverse defence strategies to protect themselves against predators, including a complex alarm communication system based on vibroacoustic and/or chemical signals. In reaction to alarm signals, workers and other vulnerable castes flee away while soldiers, the specialized colony defenders, actively move toward the alarm source. In this study, we investigated the nature of alarm communication in the pest Reticulitermes flavipes. We found that workers and soldiers of R. flavipes respond to various danger stimuli using both vibroacoustic and chemical alarm signals. Among the danger stimuli, the blow of air triggered the strongest response, followed by crushed soldier head and light flash. The crushed soldier heads, which implied the alarm pheromone release, had the longest-lasting effect on the group behaviour, while the responses to other stimuli decreased quickly. We also found evidence of a positive feedback, as the release of alarm pheromones increased the vibratory communication among workers and soldiers. Our study demonstrates that alarm modalities are differentially expressed between castes, and that the response varies according to the nature of stimuli. specialized Communication Defence Pheromones Positive feedback Vibratory behaviour FRANCE 074 66 2 265-272 2019 0020-1812 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010075661 10.1007/s00040-018-00682-9 0020-1812 [F B010075661] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010075661 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/intranet/publi/2019/05/010075661.pdf Accès réservé (Intranet de l'IRD) IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2019-06-04 2025-02-24 fdi:010075661 fre