Why Do Termites Follow the Chemicals That Are in Pens?

Termites are known to follow an ink line drawn from certain pens, most notably PaperMate and BIC pens. They follow the line only when it is drawn or written with the pen and do not flock to the pen itself. The behavior is surprising because they will follow the ink regardless of color and can end up walking in circles to follow the trail. The termites follow the chemicals found in the pen inks due to the smell of the ink. The smell of some inks is similar to a trail marking pheromone that scout termites produce. The termites follow the scent because they think it leads to food.

  1. Termite Pheromones

    • Termites are insects that rely on communication and teamwork. The main way that termites communicate is through pheromones, which are a type of scent. In the case of chemicals in pens, the scent mimics the pheromones produced by scout termites, which are the termites responsible for finding food. Other termites follow the trail of ink because they think a scout is communicating that there is food nearby.

    Necessity of Termites

    • Termites are typically considered a pest that eat through homes, furniture and any wooden items in a house. In the case of a home, termites are an unwanted insect. While they are pests in many situations, they are a necessary part of the ecosystem as well. Termites break down woods in forests so that dead trees will turn into compost. Since the wood becomes compost, termites help the ecosystem by providing nutrients for new growth with the dead and decaying old trees. The pheromones that mark a trail to food serves the purpose of taking the termites to woods and help the ecosystem.

    Scent Timing

    • Termites will only follow the line of ink drawn from a pen for a specific amount of time. The time will vary based on which termites are following the smell of the pheromone. Soldier termites will follow the scent longer than worker termites. The scent from the pens wears off in about 15 minutes or so, and at the time the scent wears off, the termites will no longer follow the ink.