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Termites can distinguish nestmates and non-nestmates through chemical communication and gut symbionts: chemicals consisting of hydrocarbons discharged from the cuticle allow the recognition of alien species.148149 Every colony has its own distinct odour. This odour is due to genetic and environmental elements such as the termites' diet and also the composition of the bacteria within the termites' intestines.150.

Termites rely on alert communication to defend a colony.134 Alarm pheromones can be discharged when the nest has been breached or is being assaulted by enemies or potential pathogens. Termites constantly avoid nestmates infected with Metarhizium anisopliae spores, through vibrational signals released by infected nestmates.151 Other procedures of defence include intense jerking and secretion of fluids from the frontal gland and defecating faeces containing alarm pheromones.134152.

In certain species, some soldiers obstruct tunnels to prevent their enemies from entering the nest, and they may deliberately rupture themselves as an act of defence.153 In cases where the intrusion is coming out of a breach which is larger than the soldier's head, defence demands a distinctive formations where soldiers shape a phalanx-like formation around the violation and bite at intruders.154 When an invasion completed by Megaponera analis is successful, an entire colony could be destroyed, although this scenario is rare.154.

To termites, any violation of their tunnels or nests is a cause for alarm. When termites discover a potential violation, the soldiers normally bang their heads, apparently to attract different soldiers for defence and also to recruit additional workers to repair any breach.56 Additionally, an alarmed termite lumps into other termites that causes them to become alerted and to leave pheromone trails to the distressed area, which can be a way to recruit additional workers.56.

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The pantropical subfamily Nasutitermitinae has a specialised caste of soldiers, known as nasutes, that have the ability to exude noxious fluids via a horn-like frontal projection that they use for defence.155 Nasutes have dropped their mandibles throughout the course of evolution and have to be fed by workers.59 A vast array of monoterpene hydrocarbon solvents have been identified in the fluids which nasutes secrete.156 Similarly, Formosan subterranean termites have been known to secrete naphthalene to protect their nests.157.

Soldiers of the species Globitermes sulphureus commit suicide by autothysis  rupturing a large gland just beneath the surface of the cuticles. The thick, yellow fluid in the gland becomes quite sticky on contact with the air, entangling ants or other insects which are trying to invade the nest.158159 Another termite, Neocapriterme taracua, additionally engages in suicidal defence.

When soldiers guarding nest entrances are attacked by intruders, they engage in autothysis, creating a cube that denies entry to any outsider.161.

Workers use several different strategies to deal with their deceased, including burying, cannibalism, and avoiding a corpse entirely.162163164 To go avoid pathogens, termites occasionally engage in necrophoresis, in which a nestmate conveys away a corpse in the colony to eliminate it everywhere.165 Which strategy is utilized depends on the nature of this corpse a worker is dealing with (i.e.

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A species of fungus is known to mimic termite eggs, successfully avoiding its natural predators. These small brown balls, known as"termite balls", rarely kill the eggs, and in some circumstances the employees tend to these.166 This fungus mimics these eggs by producing a cellulose-digesting enzyme known as glucosidases.167 A unique mimicking behaviour exists between various species of Trichopsenius beetles and certain termite species within Reticulitermes.

This compound mimicry allows the beetles to integrate themselves within the termite colonies.168 The developed appendages on the physogastric abdomen of Austrospirachtha mimetes allows the beetle to mimic a termite worker.169.

Some species of ant have been known to catch termites to utilize as a brand new food source later on, rather than killing them. For example, Formica nigra captures termites, and helpful hints those who try to escape are instantly captured and driven underground.170 Certain species of ants in the subfamily Ponerinae conduct these raids although other ant species go in alone to steal the eggs or nymphs.146 Ants such as Megaponera analis assault the exterior of mounds and Dorylinae ants assault underground.146171 Despite this, some termites and ants can coexist peacefully.

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54 species of ants are known to inhabit Nasutitermes mounds, both occupied and abandoned ones.174 One reason many ants live in Nasutitermes mounds is a result of the termites' frequent occurrence in their own geographic range; another would be to protect themselves from floods.174175 Iridomyrmex also inhabits termite mounds although no evidence for any kind of relationship (other than a predatory one) is known.116 In rare cases, certain species of termites reside inside busy ant colonies.176 Some invertebrate organisms such as beetles, caterpillars, flies and millipedes are termitophiles and reside inside termite colonies (they are unable to survive independently).56 As a consequence, certain beetles and flies have evolved with their hosts.