Data from: Balancing risk and opportunity: Nasute termite responses to predator and competitor chemical cues

Animals frequently rely on indirect information to make foraging
decisions under uncertainty. In social insects, chemical cues from other
species may convey information about both predation risk and resource
availability, yet how these cues are integrated during resource selection
remains poorly understood. Here, we investigate how the termite
Nasutitermes corniger responds to chemical cues from predators
and competitors during resource selection. Using controlled
laboratory bioassays, we tested termite preferences for food resources
associated with cues from a predatory ant (Pheidole sp.) and a competing
termite species. Predator cues consistently reduced resource
selection, indicating avoidance driven by perceived predation risk. In
contrast, resources associated with competitor cues were preferentially
selected, suggesting that these cues function as informative signals
rather than purely competitive deterrents. Our results
demonstrate that termites discriminate between heterospecific chemical
cues and integrate them to balance risk and opportunity during foraging.
These findings highlight the role of chemical information in shaping
resource selection decisions and contribute to a broader understanding of
how social insects use indirect cues to navigate complex ecological
trade-offs.