Viscoelastic liquid lassos extend the defensive reach of termite soldiers

Nasutitermes termite soldiers deploy a “liquid lasso” that reaches up to three body lengths, using a near-linear nasus and shear-thinning secretion.

• Why it matters: Small defenders face size asymmetry against larger predators, and this work addresses how tiny animals can extend defensive reach with limited secretion volumes.
• What they did: The study combined high-speed field imaging, rheometry, micro-CT, flow simulation, behavioral assays, and scaled experiments to link nasus geometry and 5–30 Hz head oscillations to rope-coiling filament deposition.
• The result: After deposition, apparent extensional viscosity increases 8–80-fold, delaying breakup as secretion cures into persistent adhesive that coats and tethers predatory ants.