Effects of genealogical relationship and colony age on the dominance hierarchy in the primitively eusocial bee Lasioglossum zephyrum

Dominance interactions between queens and workers of the primitively eusocial bee Lasioglossum zephyrum (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) were affected by the genealogical relationship between them and by the age of the colony. The tendency of the queen to display certain dominance behaviours toward the workers was unaffected by genealogical relationship, but decreased with time, possibly indicating better colony integration. However, levels of aggression displayed by queens toward workers, and the reproductive status of the latter were higher when levels of genealogical relationship within colonies was low, indicating that kin recognition was important for the evolution of social behaviour in halictine bees.