T/F: Worker ants are sterile females.

Worker ants are indeed sterile females. This characteristic is part of the social structure of ant colonies. In most ant species, the colony is organized in a hierarchical system with a queen or multiple queens, who are responsible for reproduction. The workers, which are not capable of reproducing, play crucial roles within the colony, such as foraging for food, caring for the queen’s offspring, maintaining the nest, and defending the colony.

The sterility of worker ants ensures that the energy and resources of the colony are focused on the queens and the reproductive duties, rather than spreading out the responsibilities of reproduction among many individuals. Therefore, it is essential for the survival and efficiency of the colony that workers remain sterile and focused on their roles.

This understanding highlights the evolutionary adaptations of social insects and how their reproductive strategies differ from solitary species. In contrast, the other options suggest variability in reproduction and roles which is not accurate for the majority of ant species.