Data for: Temperature fluctuations inside savanna termite mounds: do size and plant shade matter?

We measured diurnal external temperature, mound size (volume), amount of shade and mound internal temperature over a 24-hour period. Internal mound temperature varied daily following the diurnal changes of external temperature. Active termite mounds maintained a higher internal temperature than inactive ones, and the magnitude of this difference increased with mound volume; active and inactive mounds were equally affected by shade amount and external temperature fluctuations. Large mounds maintained near optimal internal temperatures compared to smaller sized mounds.