The Castes of Ants
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One of the things that sets social insects apart from ordinary insects is the division into castes. The breakdown is shown in the diagram below:
※ The sizes in the diagram are drawn to realistic proportions. Some species have no soldier caste; this varies by species. The diagram shows the caste division found in most ant species.
Queen: The sole egg-layer in the colony, and laying eggs is her only job. Apart from that, she simply rests motionless inside the nest. Unless it is absolutely necessary, avoiding excessive movement helps her live longer.
Alate female: Also called a “virgin queen.” An alate female is simply a queen that has not yet mated. She does no work at all in the colony; her only task is to wait for the mating season and then fly out to mate. For that reason this caste is not a permanent resident of the colony, and only a sufficiently stable colony will produce them.
Male: The male is the only male individual among all the ant castes. He has a slender body and a small head, and looks a little like a mosquito. He does no work at all in the colony; his only task is to wait for the mating season and then fly out to mate. For that reason this caste is not a permanent resident of the colony, and only a sufficiently stable colony will produce them.
Soldier: Also called a “specialised worker” or “major worker.” This is the caste with the larger head and mandibles. Because the head muscles are more developed, soldiers have a much stronger bite, so they serve as the attack and defence caste. In some species, however, soldiers are not purely for attack and defence. Because of the species’ diet and temperament, there is no need for predatory behaviour, and in those cases the soldier’s role shifts to greater nest-building capacity and the ability to carry more food, which is why they are also called specialised workers or major workers.
Worker: The smallest individuals in the colony, yet the caste with the most important and most complex work. Workers are the core of colony operations: foraging, scouting, brood care, tending the queen, nest building and more are all handled by the worker caste. That is why, in every species of ant, workers are the most numerous caste in the colony.
The castes of Pheidologeton diversus
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