Aging workers of the Neotropical termite, Neocapritermes taracua, develop blue crystal-containing glands (“backpacks”) on their backs. When they fight intruding termites and are hampered, these “blue” termites explode, and the glands spew a sticky liquid (Šobotník et al. 2012). The following data are from an experiment that measured the toxicity of the blue substance. A single drop of the liquid extracted from blue termites was placed on individuals of a second termite species, Labiotermes labralis, and the number that were immobilized (dead or paralyzed) within 60 minutes was recorded. The frequency of this outcome was compared with a control treatment in which liquid from glands of “white” termites lacking the blue crystals was dropped instead. Is the blue liquid toxic compared to liquid from white termites?

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Liquid source Blue workers Blue workers White workers White workers Unharmed 33 3131 Immobilized 3737 99