Polyethism
- Pronunciation
- /pol-ee-THIZ-um/
- Category
- Social Behavior
- Singular
- Polyethism
- Plural
- Polyethisms
Definition
Division of labor among members of a social insect colony, involving the performance of different tasks by individuals based on their age or caste.
Etymology
Example
The polyethism in honeybee colonies involves worker bees performing tasks such as foraging, brood rearing, and defending the hive, depending on their age.