>There is common useage of the word "subcaste" on many US oriented discussion
>groups (to describe familiies of drones and half sisters in workers)... I
>usually use the word "subset" which makes sense in UK English.

Read the excerpts and the articles they refer to, paying close
attention to the statement:  " Workers assume different roles in the
nest as they age, a pattern known as temporal polyethism."

Not only is it incorrect to call the division among workers "castes"
but to ascribe the divisions to genetics also seems wrong, since it
is widely known that workers change tasks as needed.

PB

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pb

http://www.people.cornell.edu/pages/plb6/