Describe social behavior in Termites that differs from that

Describe social behavior in Termites that differs from that in ants and bees.

Solution

Among the various insects there are few species which can be termed as social or \'eusocial\'. This particular attribute is chracterized by certain traits such as:

1. Reproductive division of labour

2. Co-operative brood care

3. Carry out different functions necessary for the survival of the colony.

4. Social insects are organized into different \'castes\' depending on their roles.

5. They are mainly able to communicate through pheromones.

But in spite of similar social behavioural patterns there are certain differences which are listed below in tabular format.

Difference as per social behaviour

Termite

Ants

Bees

The worker caste in termites are generally sexually undeveloped male or female

The worker caste in ants are generally sexually undeveloped female

The worker bees are sterile female.

The worker termites carry out a range of duties – They are essentially builders, miners and midwives rolled into one

The worker ants look after the queen, care for the young, forage for food

The worker bees produce and shape the wax honeycomb

The soldier termites are both male and female but sexually underdeveloped

The soldier ants are all female

The soldier/ worker bees are all sterile female

The winged termites also mate. But they do not die after mating.

The winged drone ants are the only male in the colony and they die once they are mated

Virgin queens go on mating flights away from their home colony to a drone congregation area, and mate with multiple drones before returning. The drones die in the act of mating

Incomplete metamorphosis: egg, nymph, adult (no pupal stage)

Complete metamorphosis: egg, larva, pupa, adult

Complete metamorphosis: egg, larva, pupa, adult

Termites basically live on plant tissue.

Ants are generally scavenger in nature and foraging to gather different foods depending on species and habitat

Bees mainly forage into the nectar of flowers and process them into honey

Termites can not sting

Most ants can sting and they can withdraw the stinger from the victim\'s body and can perform the stinging repeatedly without hurting themselves

Bees can also sting but it is suicidal for them since once they sting they stinger gets lodged in the victim\'s body and the venom sack comes out of the bee\'s body thereby resulting in its death