nestmates
Hive or den-mates
Nestmates are animals that share the same nest, most commonly used for social insects like ants, bees, or termites that inhabit a colony together.
The term emphasizes membership in a shared dwelling rather than genetic relationship, though nestmates are often siblings: Worker ants recognize nestmates by scent.
The word appears primarily in entomology and animal behavior studies.
Hatchlings as a group
- hiveBee dwelling structure
- swarmMass of moving insects
- colonyDependent territorial settlement
- anthillInsect colony's earthen home
beehive · termite mound · burrow · den · roost · rookery · warren · lodge
Joint action toward shared aims
- hierarchyRanked authority structure
- division of laborSplitting tasks among workers
- mutual groomingReciprocal fur or feather care
- alloparentingChildcare by non-biological caregivers
communal care · huddling · thermoregulation · recognition · pheromones · signals · bonding · tolerance
Fellow offspring
- clutchMechanism linking engine to gearbox
- littermatesAnimals born together
- offspringBiological descendants produced
- hatchlingsRecently emerged young animals
fledglings · young · juveniles · family · kin · related · bloodline · generation
brood
Hatchlings as a group
anthill · beehive · termite mound · burrow · den · roost · rookery · warren · lodge · social insects
cooperation
Joint action toward shared aims
- hierarchyRanked authority structure
- division of laborSplitting tasks among workers
- mutual groomingReciprocal fur or feather care
alloparenting · communal care · huddling · thermoregulation · recognition · pheromones · signals · bonding · tolerance · proximity
siblings
Fellow offspring
- clutchMechanism linking engine to gearbox
- littermatesAnimals born together
- offspringBiological descendants produced
hatchlings · fledglings · young · juveniles · family · kin · related · bloodline · generation · parentage
nestmatesoutsiders
Those not belonging
intruders · foreign workers · invaders · strangers · foreigners
nestmatesenemies
Hostile opposing parties
competitors · rivals · predators · parasites · antagonists
mate, nest, playmate, nestle, mates, nests, roommate, nesting, nestling