Ants versus bees – Dr Igor Siedlecki in a Radio Naukowe debate

25 08 2026

Which social insects are more remarkable – ants or bees? Can their communication skills, work organization, architecture, medical practices, and defense strategies be compared? This was the challenge undertaken by the participants in a popular science debate organized by Radio Naukowe: Dr Igor Siedlecki, a biologist specializing in research on ants from the Faculty of Biology UW, and Dr Michał Kolasa, an evolutionary biologist, bee researcher and practicing beekeeper from the National Research Institute of Animal Production.

Both ants and bees form complex societies in which individuals cooperate, divide tasks and communicate effectively. During the discussion, Dr Igor Siedlecki describes the remarkable ways in which ants maintain suitable conditions within their colonies. These insects can detect excessive concentrations of carbon dioxide and create additional ventilation openings in their nests. They can also use tools, including stones, twigs, leaves and pieces of sponge. Moreover, ants can identify sick larvae and pupae, preventing infections from spreading, and in some situations they even amputate the injured limbs of other colony members.

Bees, in turn, communicate through dance, regulate the temperature inside their hives by vibrating their muscles and use propolis to protect their colonies against microorganisms.

Watch the debate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=460gaLKofeU