entomology pertaining to organisms living in more or less organized communities of individuals —note truly social (eusocial) insects possess three traits as defined by E.O. Wilson (1971): (a) cooperation among individuals in caring for the young, (b) "reproductive division of labor with more or less sterile individuals working on behalf of fecund individuals," and (c) "an overlap of at least two generations in life stage capable of contributing to colony labor so that offspring assist parents during some period of their life" —antonym solitary This definition last updated 10/07/2008