[NEW COURSE] The vast majority of insect species live solitary lives, with interactions among individuals largely confined to mating. Yet there are a few groups of insects—all ants and termites as well as some bees and wasps—that live in colonies with individuals specialized for different tasks. Depending on the species, these colonies can be made up of anywhere from a handful of individuals to millions of them. As a result these social insect groups make up a major fraction of the insect biomass on earth. Their ecological impact is equally important. In this course we will examine the ecology, evolution, and behavior of these insects as well as their effects—both beneficial and deleterious—on human societies.  Lecture