Which of the following is NOT characteristic of social insects?
Answer Details
The characteristic that is NOT associated with social insects is "All members are identical".
In social insects, there is division of labor where each member of the colony has a specific task to perform, such as foraging, building the nest, caring for the young, or defending the colony. The members dwell in the same habitat, which is typically the nest or colony, and some members protect the queen, who is responsible for producing offspring.
However, social insects are not identical. They may have different physical characteristics or perform different tasks within the colony. For example, in a bee colony, worker bees are physically different from drones, and they have different roles and responsibilities within the colony. Similarly, in an ant colony, soldiers are larger and have a different body shape than workers.
In summary, social insects are not identical, but they do exhibit division of labor, live in the same habitat, and have some members that protect the queen.