eusocial
adjective
eu·so·cial
ˌyü-ˈsō-shəl 
: living in a cooperative group in which usually one female and several males are reproductively active and the nonbreeding individuals care for the young or protect and provide for the group
eusocial termites, ants, and naked mole rats
Examples of eusocial in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For eusocial insects, like honeybees, grooming for parasites can be a collective activity rather than an individual one.
—
Gabe Allen, Discover Magazine, 20 Feb. 2025
Ants, whose colonies are composed mostly of sterile females that care for their mothers’ offspring, are eusocial; so are termites.
—Kristin Ohlson, Discover Magazine, 24 Oct. 2012
As eusocial insects, the world of the honey bee revolves around keeping the queen (larger bee in center of image) healthy and productive.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 4 Oct. 2018
Ants are eusocial, which means members of the colony pitch in to perform specific tasks.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 11 Feb. 2016
Bees and other eusocial insects, for instance, clearly show evidence of collective intelligence.
—Adam Frank, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2022
The inner workings of mole rats’ odd eusocial structure earns them a reputation for aggression.
—Max G. Levy, Wired, 24 May 2021
Leaning in particular on research into the captivating lives of eusocial insects like ants and bees, the researchers looked at six different ways that the presence of contagious disease can change social interactions.
—Ellie Shechet, Popular Science, 5 Mar. 2021
While the scores of social ant species all evolved from one common social ancestor, bees’ eusocial nature evolved multiple times independently.
—Quanta Magazine, 6 May 2014
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Gabe Allen, Discover Magazine, 20 Feb. 2025
Ants, whose colonies are composed mostly of sterile females that care for their mothers’ offspring, are eusocial; so are termites.
—Kristin Ohlson, Discover Magazine, 24 Oct. 2012
As eusocial insects, the world of the honey bee revolves around keeping the queen (larger bee in center of image) healthy and productive.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 4 Oct. 2018
Ants are eusocial, which means members of the colony pitch in to perform specific tasks.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 11 Feb. 2016
Bees and other eusocial insects, for instance, clearly show evidence of collective intelligence.
—Adam Frank, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2022
The inner workings of mole rats’ odd eusocial structure earns them a reputation for aggression.
—Max G. Levy, Wired, 24 May 2021
Leaning in particular on research into the captivating lives of eusocial insects like ants and bees, the researchers looked at six different ways that the presence of contagious disease can change social interactions.
—Ellie Shechet, Popular Science, 5 Mar. 2021
While the scores of social ant species all evolved from one common social ancestor, bees’ eusocial nature evolved multiple times independently.
—Quanta Magazine, 6 May 2014
Cite this Entry
“Eusocial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eusocial. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
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