>
>
> The idea of altruistic suicide has been tossed about for a decade or more.
> As Jasna Kralj pointed out to me, you cannot really call such behaviors
> suicide, because we don't have any way of knowing whether the death is
> intentional or consequential.
>
> As for young larvae dying to protect the hive, that to me is a huge leap
> from the evidence. While it may have a long term benefit, it would be
> difficult to prove that it is the result of natural selection.
>
>

Honey bees already already commit altruistic suicide in their defensive
behaviour.  It doesn't seem like too much of a stretch to think they would
do the same thing to combat disease.

By sacrificing themselves to defend the colony from predators or diseases
they are improving the colony's overall chances of reproduction and the
continuance of their genetic line.

Adam
Barrie, ON

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