HIVE MINDS

A sophisticated world

An episode from the series PLANET INSECT

Synopsis

Social insects (ants, bees, wasps, and termites) are incredibly successful.

By some estimates, the weight of ants equals that of humanity, and that of termites equals terrestrial vertebrates. In some rainforests, ants outweigh all the vertebrates by four times.

We explore the reasons for this domination, from complex communication to the latest discoveries - ants invented Medicare long before we did.