Figure 2From: Social complexity in bees is not sufficient to explain lack of reversions to solitary living over long time scalesMean ovarian index versus intra-colony body size rank. Mean ovarian index (± 1 S. E.) as a function of intra-colony body size rank for adult females from multifemale colonies of H. nigrinervis. Individuals with identical sizes were given the same sequential rank. By regressing the ovarian index of individuals within a nest on their residual body size, we found a significant decrease in ovarian index as relative female body size decreases within colonies (P = 0.008).Back to article page