of modes, which include chemicals, known as pheromones, sounds and signals, even dancing.

It can be defined as a behaviour of one animal that has an effect on the current or future

behaviour of another animal.

Communication between animals can imply messages or warnings. For example, plants send out

messages via pheromones to try and attract pollinators. Pheromones can be a hormone for

communication to the same species, for example to attract a mate or they can be a chemical

secreted by one animal to cause a reaction of another; they make communication possible.

Honey bees communicate information about food sources with a special dance, known as a ‘waggle

dance’. A figure of eight dance tells bees which direction and how far it is to flowers

and a round dance tells them that food is close by.

Sound from the dance of the bees is picked up by the tiny hairs on the bee’s head.

So bees communicate through sound, and movement signals, as well as by releasing pheromones

into the environment.

Killer whales communicate through sound. Sound is a very important method of communication

for whales because sight is less effective underwater. Killer whales produce whistles,

echolocation clicks, pulsed calls, low-frequency pops and jaw claps. Research has shown that

whales produce sounds more frequently when they are closer to other individuals, and

less frequently when groups are dispersed. It is thought that the sounds are used for

group recognition and the coordination of behaviour. It is also interesting to note

that each pod of whales has its own unique dialect.

Whales may also communicate using a variety of postures and gestures. However, the purpose

of behaviours such as breaching are not clearly understood, although it is assumed that behaviours

like jaw-snapping and head-butting communicate aggression.