Abstract: Pheromones are an efficient tool in the prevention and treatment of termite infestations and have consequently been the focus of a considerable amount of research. In this paper we provide a brief description of termite pheromones and their analogues and summarize recent progress in research on these substances from both a chemical and biological perspective. Four key factors (the structure of pheromone molecules, the environment, experimental methods and pheromone concentration) affecting the activity of termite pheromones are discussed. Finally, we consider the recent developments in the literature to speculate on future directions for termite pheromone research.

Key words:  Termite, exocrine gland, pheromone, trail pheromone, sex pheromone, termite, pheromones, pheromone analogues, research progress