Eusociality
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Eusociality is the highest level of organization of sociality. It is defined by the following characteristics: cooperative brood care, overlapping generations within a colony of adults, and a division
Co-operative brood rearing, seen here in honeybees, is a condition of eusociality.
Suzanne Batra introduced the term "eusocial" after studying nesting in Halictid bees including Halictus latisignatus, pictured.
Weaver ants, here collaborating to pull nest leaves together, can be considered eusocial, as they have a permanent division of labor.
Swarming Iridomyrmex purpureus ants. The young queens are black, winged, and much larger than the wingless workers.
Evolution of eusociality
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Eusociality evolved repeatedly in different orders of animals, notably termites and the Hymenoptera. This 'true sociality' in animals, in which sterile individuals work to further the reproductive suc
Honeybee workers collaborating on a comb have given up their ability to reproduce, an extreme expression of eusocial behavior.