caste noun, plural
castes - specialized morphological or behavioral form of a
eusocial insect. Different castes perform different work within a colony. Examples include reproductives (females called a queen, males called drones in some groups), worker (sterile individual, usually most abundant in a colony), and solider (often called
major worker, specialized for colony defense). Caste status is determined throughout an insect's life, and does not change with age.
Eggs,
larvae, and
pupae are life stages, not castes
(1). Reproductive individuals are usually winged, at least at the start of their lives, and are called
alates.
