Soldiers rely on chemical as well as physical weapons. Some termite species bite their attacker and coat the wound with a toxic chemical that also prevents clotting. Other termites simply daub their aggressor with a built-in paint brush or inject the chemical directly. The spray may also be a gluey substance that entangles the invader much like a fly is caught on flypaper. In certain species of termites, the galleries are constructed in such a way that the head of the soldiers can act as a plug, effectively cutting off an entrance for enemies.
Termites have a host of general and specific enemies.
In Africa, the anteater may attack a large termite mound by burrowing into the mound with its large, clawed front paws. It then proceeds to lick up any exposed termites. The insects usually can survive the attack of the anteater, because this animal does not consume a great deal of individuals. The damage done to the mound is sometimes fatal, for marauding ants, termites' principal and most deadly enemy, can attack the colony. Because a particularly hungry anteater may open up whole sections of the mound, the termites have a greater area to defend, and worse, the queen may be exposed.