Finding optimal collective strategies using individual-based simulations: colony organization in social insects

Authored by Anna Dornhaus

Date Published: 2012

DOI: 10.1080/13873954.2011.601422

Sponsors: United States National Science Foundation (NSF)

Platforms: Swarm Objective C

Model Documentation: Other Narrative Flow charts

Model Code URLs: Model code not found

Abstract

Social insects like ants and bees live in cooperative colonies containing up to millions of individuals. These colonies are sometimes termed `superorganisms' and have evolved tightly integrated and sophisticated collective behaviours. Different species, however, often differ in the type and mechanisms of communication and collective organization employed. I show here how individual-based models can be used to identify the non-intuitive benefits of different mechanisms of communication and division of labour and how these benefits may depend on the external environment as well as traits of the society itself. This allows us to understand under what ecological conditions particular types of collective organization may have evolved, and thus can also help to explain variation among species.

Tags

behavior Decision-Making ants Recruitment Hymenoptera Division-of-labor Honey-bees Benefits Apis-mellifera Spatial model