Task partitioning in insect societies: novel situations

Abstract

Ratnieks and Anderson (1999) recently reviewed task partitioning in insect societies. They collated numerous examples of partitioned tasks involving the collection and transportation of colony resources to the nest. However, no non-foraging examples were known. Here we report task partitioning in excavation, emigration, and refuse disposal. We also report an example of task partitioning without strong division of labour.