QUANTITATIVE STUDY OF THE FIXED THRESHOLD-MODEL FOR THE REGULATION OFDIVISION-OF-LABOR IN INSECT SOCIETIES

A simple model of regulation of division of labour in insect societies is introduced and studied. Individuals are assumed to respond to task -related stimuli with response thresholds. When the intensity of a par ticular stimulus exceeds an individual's response threshold, the indiv idual engages in task performance with high probability, and successfu l task performance reduces the intensity of the stimulus. If individua ls belonging to different (physical or behavioural) castes have differ ent response thresholds, and if thresholds are assumed to remain fixed over the timescales of experiments, this model can account for some o bservations on ant species of Pheidole (Wilson 1984).