On Sep 21, 2013, at 7:22 AM, Lennard Pisa <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> L.S.,
> 
> Does anyone have a favorite website for good current honey bee evolution knowledge? 

I don't usually recommend Wikipedia, but the entry of the "The evolution of eusociality" is good. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_of_eusociality

> The evolution of eusociality occurred repeatedly in different orders of animals, particularly the hymenoptera. This 'true sociality' in animals, in which sterile individuals work to further the reproductive success of others, is found in termites, ambrosia beetles, gall-dwelling aphids, thrips, marine sponge-dwelling shrimp (Synalpheus regalis), naked mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber), and nearly all Hymenoptera (which includes bees, wasps, and ants); that it should have evolved so many times in the hymenoptera, but remain rare throughout the rest of the animal kingdom, has made the evolution of eusociality a topic of debate among evolutionary biologists. 


I don't know who wrote this, but anyone who can compose a sentence that long that still hangs together has my respect  ;)

He/she is correct in saying that it is a topic of debate. There are 2340 papers with the phrase "Evolution of eusociality", 195 in this year alone.

Pete
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