Do Termites Sting?

Society

• A single termite queen lays eggs that either become males for breeding, workers that help to rear more young, tend the queen, and perform housekeeping, construction and maintenance of the colony dwelling, or soldiers that defend the colony from attack, according to the Texas A&M University Agrilife Extension.

Defense

• As with most socially organized insects, termites will defend their colony, if attacked. Different species of termite possess a range of defense methods for defending the colony, although they do not sting.

Anatomy

• Unlike bees, ants and other socially organized insects, termites lack the biological design to sting. Their bodies do not possess either a stinger or the related venom glands.

Biting

• The fact that termites do not have a stinger does not mean they are defenseless. Termites can bite and some species have soldier castes with large and powerful mandibles that can deliver a painful bite.

Other Defense Mechanisms

• Some species, such as the Nasute termite, have soldiers that expel a noxious smelling and irritating fluid from a nozzle on their heads to immobilize attackers. Others can rupture their internal organs to expel a sticky fluid to trap invaders, reports David Stecco of Colorado State University.