Further evidence that Hamilton was wrong about eusocial insects
Posted 11 Nov 2012 / 0Current Biology “Social Evolution: When Promiscuity Breeds Cooperation”
Current Biology “Promiscuous Honey Bee Queens Increase Colony Productivity by Suppressing Worker Selfishness”
What I find so fascinating about this study is that relatedness can actually under some scenarios undermine cooperation, and that when proper policing of cheating is possible, less-related individuals may have more incentive to cooperate. All that said, we are still talking about a “family” of insects, so relatedness still matters: Hamilton’s Rule may just be too simplistic.
A Minor Post, Articles, Behavior, Cooperation, Hymenoptera, Punishment, Superorganisms