No species in the world lives in complete solitude; the relationships between each species have their own unique methods. Their collective living style is linked by “chemical language.”
The “chemical language” of ants is called pheromones – a
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The “chemical language” of ants is called pheromones (Image: tightloop) |
pheromone, which is a chemical substance secreted outside the body by certain glands of the ants. When foraging, ants leave pheromones along their path; their companions can follow the scent to know where to assist in the hunt. This creates a “scent corridor,” allowing the ant colony to transport food back to the nest. Ants can also distinguish between their relatives and outsiders based on scent. If an ant mistakenly enters the wrong nest, it is likely to face death.
Chimpanzees communicate with each other through vocalizations. When one sees fruit on a tree, it will call out loudly to summon others to eat. If it encounters a threat, it will also call for help from its companions.
Insects produce sounds to express feelings, attract mates, or signal danger. Cicadas have a sound-producing organ, and air movement in this organ vibrates the membrane to create “the cicada’s song throughout the summer night.” Grasshoppers produce sounds by rubbing their legs against their wings. Crickets, on the other hand, rub their wings together to call their friends.
Bees use dance as a form of communication to invite others to gather nectar. Austrian biologist Fritzsche studied bees in detail and discovered that they have two main types of dances: round and waggle. When worker bees return from foraging, they always dance; if they perform a round dance, it indicates that food is about 100 meters from the nest. If they perform a waggle dance, it means the food is farther away, and the longer and faster they dance, the further the food source is.
