Behavioral Biology

Evolution of Social Systems

Societies

• Groups of organisms of the same species

which cooperate to exist.

Benefits of Sociality

• Kin Selection

• Decreased Predation Risk

• Increased Feeding Sources

• Increased Hunting Success

Insect Societies

• Hymenoptera

– Honeybees

– Leaf-cutter ants

• Isoptera

– Termites

Honeybee Society

• Caste system – Division of Duties

– Queen

• Diploid female

• Duty: Reproduction

• Produces ‘Queen substance’

• Lays 1500 eggs/day till death or runs out of sperm

Honeybee Society

Which one is the Queen?

Honeybee Societies

Queen Cell

Honeybee Society

• Caste system – Division of Duties

– Drone

• Haploid Male

• Duty: Find the queen and mate

• Dies after reproduces (2 seconds!)

Honeybee Societies

DroneWorkers

Honeybee Societies

Drone Cells

Honeybee Society

• Caste system – Division of Duties

– Worker

• Diploid female with ovaries suppressed

• Duty: Everything except laying eggs

Honeybee Society

Honeybee Society

Workers ‘Festooning’

Honeybee Society

Worker ‘Scenting’ to Signal Disturbance

Bibliography

• Raven, Peter H. Et al. 2008. Biology, 8th ed. McGraw Hill Higher

Education. New York, NY.

• All photos are by D. Hautau, Alpena Community College.

hautaud@alpenacc.edu