subcolony
/ˈsʌbˌkɑləni/
noun
- A smaller colony that is part of a larger colony, especially of social insects like ants or bees.
- Scientists observed how a subcolony of termites built a separate mound nearby.
- The ant colony split into several subcolonies when it grew too large.
- Each subcolony of bees had its own queen and workers.
- A group of people or animals that settles in a new area but remains connected to a larger parent colony.
- The research team studied a subcolony of seabirds that had moved to a nearby island.
- The settlers established a subcolony on the other side of the river.
- A subcolony of penguins formed on the far end of the beach.
Synonyms