Castes

Castes are groups of individuals within the same species of social insects that have a different appearance. This appearance is usually related to the role of that caste within the colony.

For example, the soldiers within a colony of army ants are bigger than the other ants and have huge jaws.

An illustration of an army ant soldier

An illustration of the castes within a termite colony:

1. Primary king
2. Primary queen
3. Secondary queen
4. Tertiary queen
5. Soldiers
6. Worker

Related terms

• Bivouac
• Eusocial
• Flying ant day
• Formicidae
• Gyne
• Hymenoptera
• Isoptera
• King
• Nanitic
• Nuptial flight
• Queen
• Queen cell
• Worker

Related pages on this web site

• Army Ants
• Bees, Wasps and Ants - Order Hymenoptera
• Termites

See other words beginning with C