The behavioral ecology of variation in social insects

- Social insects show variation among individuals within colonies and among colonies within a population.
- Differences among colonies are the result of differences among colonies in the traits of the individuals.
- Individuals vary in behavioral traits, including regulation of activity, cognitive abilities, and aggression.
- Recent research addresses the genomic and physiological factors associated with individual variation within a colony.
- Variation among colonies in behavior has ecological consequences that are the basis for evolutionary change.

Understanding the ecological relevance of variation within and between colonies has been an important and recurring theme in social insect research. Recent research addresses the genomic and physiological factors and fitness effects associated with behavioral variation, within and among colonies, in regulation of activity, cognitive abilities, and aggression. Behavioral variation among colonies has consequences for survival and reproductive success that are the basis for evolutionary change.