Which combination best describes the ant caste system?

• A. Queen, male reproductive, workers
• B. Queen, workers
• C. Male reproductive only
• D. Workers only

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that a typical ant colony has three main groups with distinct roles: a queen who lays eggs, male reproductives (drones) whose job is to mate, and workers who do the daily tasks and care for the brood. The queen provides the reproductive output, drones mate with her to pass on genetics, and workers handle foraging, nest maintenance, defense, and care of young. This combination—queen, male reproductives, and workers—captures the full structure of the caste system in most colonies. If you only have queen and workers, you’re missing the reproductive drones; if you have only workers, you’re missing the reproductive members; if you have only male reproductives, you’re missing the workers and queen.