10 Surprising Ways Animals Use Scent to Send Messages

3. Social Hierarchies: Scents of Status

For many social animals, scent isn’t just about marking territory or finding a mate—it’s also a way to keep order within the group. Meerkats, for example, use scent to reinforce their hierarchy, with dominant members marking subordinates as a reminder of their place in the social ladder. This helps minimize conflicts and keeps the group running smoothly. Ants take this to another level. In many species, the queen releases a special scent that suppresses reproduction in worker ants, ensuring she remains the only one laying eggs. Without a single word or gesture, she controls the entire colony through chemistry alone. In tightly structured societies like these, scent-based communication is often more effective than visual or vocal signals, keeping everything in balance without constant confrontation.