Fixed response thresholds and the regulation of division of labor in insect societies

Abstract

We introduce a simple mathematical model of regulation of division of labor in insect societies based on fixed-response thresholds. Individuals with different thresholds respond differently to task-associated stimuli. Low-threshold individuals become involved at a lower level of stimulus than high-threshold individuals. We show that this simple model can account for experimental observations of Wilson (1984), extend the model to more complicated situations, explore its properties, and study under what conditions it can account for temporal polyethism.