Insects communicate and interact through various means such as pheromones, sound, light, and organized social structures. Pheromones are chemicals released by animals that can influence the behavior of others of the same species. Ants use pheromone trails to mark paths and communicate information. Honeybees have a complex social structure with worker bees, a queen, and drones each playing distinct roles in the hive. They communicate through a "dance of the bees" where scouts indicate locations of food sources to other worker bees. Many insects also communicate using sound, like crickets and mosquitoes, or light, as fireflies do through flashing patterns unique to their species.

1. Insect Behavior
Ch.37-2

2. Communication
 Pheromones – Chemical signals released by an animal
that can effect the behavior or development of other
individuals.
 Uses include: marking a path, identifying a honeybee
hive, attracting a mate, or telling others to attack.

3. Ants
 Lay pheromone trail – chemicals produced by
ant
 Ant whisperer PBS

4. Other forms of Communication
 Sound
 Crickets will rub their forewings against each other to attract a
mate.
 Female mosquitoes “buzz” to attract a mate.
 cricket chirping
 summer night sounds

5. Other forms of Communication
Light
 Fireflies flash light. Each species has its own pattern
 Firefly patterns
 fireflies in sync
 fire fly and car

6. Social Insects
 Live in colonies.
 Division of labor.
 Only some reproduce.
 Examples: ants, bees, wasps, and termites.

7. Honeybees
 Three types of individuals
 Worker Bees: females
 Queen Bee large fertile female
 Drones: males

8. Worker Bees - Sterile females
 Have a stinger instead of an ovipositor
 Gather nectar and pollen
 Turn nectar into honey with enzymes in their
saliva
 Will sting only when
hive is threatened.
Stinger will pull out
and they will die

9. Queen bee
 A female that is fed Royal jelly as a larvae
 She will secrete “queen factor” to keep other
queens from developing.
 Will go on a maiden voyage, mate with several
drones and lay then eggs her entire life
 Entire hive will follow (swarm) queen if she
leaves

10. Drones:
-males that develop from unfertilized eggs.
-Only a few will get to mate with queen on her
maiden voyage
-They have no other function in a hive.
-During harsh winters, drones may get pushed
out of hive

11. Honeybees
 silence of the Bees – PBS

12. Killer bees = African bees
 Bred to make more honey. Got aggressive .
Don’t make more honey, just Steal honey.
 killer bees, close up stinger

13. Dance of the bees
 This dance is done to show other bees where
to find food.
 Video

14. Insect wars
 National Geographic
 insect wars ants vs. termites
 insect wars queen steals slaves
 hornets vs. honey bees