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How did the honey bee evolve into the complex colonial species that exists today – and what does its evolution have to teach us about our own species? In Honey Bee Social Evolution, entomologist Keith Delaplane uses the humble but charismatic honey bee as a model of social evolution to highlight the many parallels a social insect colony shares with humans and other organisms. Delaplane shows how social processes drive evolution – for honey bee colonies, humans, and other animals.
Each chapter spotlights a honey bee colony-level function such as group-level reproduction, task differentiation among cells, group decision-making, social immunity, defence behaviour, senescence, anarchy, cancer, and more – all with stunning parallels to those of other organisms. These vivid comparisons, grounded in a practical context, emphasize how natural selection uses a common tool kit to solve similar problems across lineages.
By revealing the complex hive of similarities between the honey bee's society and our own, Delaplane hopes to instil an ethos of solidarity with all organic life. The honey bee colony shows how evolution is more than selfish "survival of the fittest", but equally a story of the success of cooperation and altruism.
Preface
Part I. Structures of Honey Bee Social Evolution
Chapter 1. Honey Bee Social Evolution and Why It Matters
Chapter 2. Organismality, Individuality, and the Preeminence of Group Formation
Chapter 3. The Honey Bee, Life at Two Levels
Chapter 4. First Came the Nest
Chapter 5. Grades of Sociality
Chapter 6. Altruism and the Emergence of Simple Eusociality
Chapter 7. Complex Eusociality: Restraining Conflict in the Honey Bee Superorganism
Chapter 8. Complex Eusociality: Division of Labor and Evolution of Caste
Chapter 9. Complex Eusociality: Polyandry and Its Consequences
Part II. Emergent Properties and Outcomes of Social Evolution
10. Emergent Properties and the Honey Bee Superorganism
11. Thermoregulation
12. Comb Construction and Use Patterns
13. Regulators of Colony and Body Size in the Honey Bee Superorganism
14. Mechanisms and Evolution of Dance Language
15. Group Decision-Making
16. Evolution of Reproductive Swarming
17. Evolution of Defense Behavior
18. Mechanisms and Evolution of Social Immunity
19. Nest Symbionts
20. Senescence and Mortality
Part III. Honey Bee Phylogeography
Chapter 21. The Corbiculate Bees
Chapter 22. The Genus Apis and Phylogeography of Apis mellifera
Part IV. Beyond the Honey Bee Superorganism
Chapter 23. Who Gets to Be Queen?
Chapter 24. Anarchy and Social Dissolution
Chapter 25. The Eusocial Primate
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Keith Delaplane (ATHENS, GA) is a professor of entomology and Walter B. Hill Fellow at the University of Georgia.
"Honey Bee Social Evolution by Dr. Keith Delaplane is the most organized, connecting, and informative educational outreach I have ever had the good fortune to see and read on this fundamental topic. Keith has done what Keith always does in not leaving any data or insight on the fringes."
– Jerry Hayes, Bee Culture Magazine
"Honey Bee Social Evolution by Keith Delaplane is an insightful and essential read for beekeepers and bee advocates. Delaplane masterfully unravels the complexities of bee societies, providing a compelling narrative that bridges rigorous science and accessible knowledge, enriching both understanding and passion for bees."
– Ashley Ralph, Prime Bees
"In this captivating exploration, Dr. Delaplane illuminates the intricate world of honey bee social life and its evolution. Originally serialized in the American Bee Journal, the essays contained within this book offer a look into the honey bee's life through the eyes of a lifelong expert. Whether you're a scientist, beekeeper, or nature enthusiast, prepare to see the world through new eyes as you discover the profound ecological and evolutionary insights hidden within the humble honey bee."
– Brock Harpur, Purdue University
