Final answer:
Trophallaxis is the social exchange of food in colonies, and mutual grooming is an important behavior observed in social insects. Trophallaxis allows members of the colony to share food resources, while mutual grooming helps with hygiene and social bonding.
Step-by-step explanation:
The social exchange of food is called trophallaxis. Mutual grooming is another important aspect of colony life. Trophallaxis is a behavior observed in many social insects, such as ants, bees, and termites, where they share food with each other within the colony. Mutual grooming is a behavior where individuals of the same species groom each other, which helps maintain hygiene and strengthen social bonds.
For example, in an ant colony, trophallaxis allows the workers to share food resources. They exchange liquid food by regurgitating it from their stomachs and passing it mouth-to-mouth to other colony members. This behavior ensures that all members have access to food and helps maintain colony cohesion. Mutual grooming, on the other hand, helps ants remove dirt, parasites, and pathogens from their bodies, keeping the colony healthy.