Pheromone signaller
Pheromones are chemical signals emitted by animals and plants to communicate information to their own species. Pheromone signals include scents emitted by female moths to attract a mate, alarm signals given off by bees when their hive is under threat, and the territorial markers in wolf urine. Some insects, such as ants, lay down pheromone trails for their nest-mates to follow to food sources.
Watch video clips from past programmes (5 clips)
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To bee or not to bee 
Bee dynasty 
Flamboyant fathers
A taste of honey
The Nature of Britain
Honey buzzards migrate from Africa to make use of a local delicacy.
Featured in the following TV programmes
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Catch Up
Life: Insects
Super slow motion shows a bombardier beetle firing boiling liquid at its enemies.
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Archived
Life in the Undergrowth: INVASION OF THE LAND
Some invertebrates overcome the limitation of their small size by banding together in huge numbers to form societies which operate like superorganisms
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Archived
Living Britain: DEEPEST WINTER
Episode 2/6 follows the arrival of Spring as it moves north.
Species with this adaptation
Amphibians
Great crested newt Insects
Army ant 
European honey bee 
Scottish wood ant 
Yellow meadow ant 
Large blue butterfly Mammals
Grey wolf 
Tiger 
Argali sheep 
Giraffe 
Nubian ibex 
Asian elephant 
Damaraland mole rat Ray-finned fishes
Pirarucu Reptiles
Komodo dragon Sea stars and starfishes
Sunflower star About
A pheromone (from Greek φέρω phero "to bear" + hormone from Greek ὁρμή - "impetus") is a chemical signal that triggers a natural response in another member of the same species. There are alarm pheromones, food trail pheromones, sex pheromones, and many others that affect behavior or physiology. Their use among insects has been particularly well documented. In addition, some vertebrates and plants communicate by using pheromones.
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Other Communication and senses Adaptations
- Able to echolocate
- Able to scent mark
- Adapted for ultrasound
- Bioluminescent
- Pheromone signaller
Elsewhere on the web
- Pheromone (wikipedia.org)
Site links
BBC links
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