Insect Societies

Many of us will have heard of the honeybee’s ‘waggle dance’ that directs others in their hive towards a new food source.  But this is only one of a huge number of ways that various insects work, live and communicate together.

Join us for a fascinating morning learning more about the social behaviours of ants, bees, and wasps. You will discover why some of these actions initially developed and how they help each species to thrive. We will discuss the various communication tools they use, including; facial recognition, chemical cues, and touch. We will also discover how their diverse housing structures allow each community to store food, protect their members, manage the dead and nurture their young.

Our tutor will share colourful and dynamic stories to engage and intrigue the class, leaving them curious to find out more.

Tutor Profile – Viki Webster

Viki has been a member of the International Union for the Study of Social Insects for six years now. Before they started working as a GIS, Research and Monitoring Officer at Surrey Wildlife Trust they spent nearly a decade learning about how social behaviours in bees influence their disease dynamics. You can often find Viki in the sunshine crouched over a log or stooped beside a flower trying to take a video of bumblebees foraging for food or ants cleaning their nests. They are really looking forward to introducing you to the tiny community actions happening all around us in insect societies.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Nower Wood Educational Nature Reserve, Mill Way, Dorking, United Kingdom