Caste (biology)

In some eusocial species, individuals of one species live together in colonies. These groups are often called nests or hives. Often there is a division of labour. In Hymenoptera,^[1] for example, a hive may have several kinds of females, which by Polyphenism carry out different tasks, and whose bodies are different.

Honeycomb with eggs, and larvae. These are about 3-4 days old.

Such specialized types in one species are known as castes. Castes that are not involved in producing offspring are usually sterile. The term originally comes from the caste-system in Hinduism.

Related pages

• Eusociality