inquilins

An inquiline is an organism that lives inside the nest or dwelling of another species, typically sharing space and resources without establishing itself as a free-living member of the host population. The term comes from the Latin inquilinus, meaning tenant, and is used to describe a range of life histories in which a species resides within the territory of another.

Inquilines are particularly common among social insects such as ants, bees, and termites. They can be obligate parasites that reproduce within a host colony or facultative intruders that use host nests temporarily. Many inquilines depend on host workers for brood care and feeding, and some lay eggs within the host nest through brood parasitism. The relationship is often specialized, with inquilines evolving strategies to integrate into the host colony’s social structure.

To avoid detection and eviction, inquilines frequently employ chemical and behavioral adaptations. They may chemically mimic the host’s cuticular hydrocarbons, disguise their movement, or alter their behavior to appear as normal nestmates. Morphological changes, such as reduced eyes or wings, can accompany lifelong nesting inside a host colony, reflecting their diminished need for independent survival.

Hosts respond through defense mechanisms like heightened nestmate recognition, grooming, aggression toward outsiders, and eviction of intruders. The study of inquilines illuminates the dynamics of social parasitism, coevolution, and the ecological costs and benefits of living inside another organism’s domicile.