Primary reproductives
- Pronunciation
- /pri-mary re-pro-duc-tivs/
- Category
- Social Behavior
- Singular
- Primary reproductive
- Plural
- Primary reproductives
Definition
The primary male and female reproductive individuals in a social insect colony, typically responsible for laying and fertilizing the majority of eggs.
Etymology
From Latin 'primus', meaning 'first', and 'reproductive'.
Example
In honeybee colonies, the primary reproductives are the queen bee and the drones responsible for laying and fertilizing most of the eggs.
Related Terms
- Queen bee
- Drone
- Colony
- Social insects
Usage Notes
Primary reproductives often exhibit a dominance hierarchy within the colony.