Regulation of division of labor in insect societies.

Abstract

Division of labor is fundamental to the organization of insect societies and is thought to be one of the principal factors in their ecological success (174). Division of labor in insect colonies is characterized by two features: (a) different activities are performed simultaneously by (b) groups of specialized individuals, which is assumed to be more efficient than if tasks are performed sequentially by unspecialized individuals (55, 56, 93, 106; but see 37). A key feature of the division of labor in insect colonies is its plasticity. Colonies respond to changing internal and external conditions by adjusting the ratios of individual workers engaged in the various tasks. This is accomplished in large part via the behavioral flexibility of the individual workers themselves. Worker behavioral flexibility contributes to the reproductive success of a colony by enabling it to continue to grow, develop, and ultimately produce a new generation of reproductive males and females despite changing colony conditions. Sensitivity to change within a structured labor system is important to social organization, but only now are we beginning to understand this concept. The