In eusocial insects, genetically identical individuals can exhibit striking differences in
behavior and longevity. The molecular basis of such phenotypic plasticity is of great interest …

Highlights•In most organisms reproduction trades off with somatic maintenance and
survival.•The reproduction-maintenance trade-off is mediated by an endocrine network.•In …

Comparative studies are increasingly used to identify factors responsible for the evolution of
plant and animal phenotypes and social insects provide ideal systems for such studies as a …

One of the key features of insect societies is the division of labor in reproduction between
one or a few fertile individuals and many sterile nestmates that function as helpers. The …

Individual lifespans vary tremendously between and also within species, but the proximate
and ultimate causes of different ageing speeds are still not well understood. Sociality …

Potential reproductive conflicts are common in insect societies. One process that can reduce
or suppress conflict is policing. We review worker and" queen" policing in queenless …

The evolution of sociality in insects caused a divergence in lifespan between reproductive
and non-reproductive castes. Ant queens can live for decades, while most workers survive …

Policing behavior that prevents workers from laying male eggs was examined in the
monogynous and monandrous ponerine ant Diacamma sp. from Japan, in which a singly …

Due to a trade‐off between reproduction and life span, highly fertile individuals often live
shorter lives than nonreproductive conspecifics. Perennial eusocial insects are exceptional …

A trade-off between fecundity and life expectancy is fundamental to most theories on the
evolution of life histories and ageing. In fact, sexual reproduction has been shown to reduce …