Which of the following organisms exhibits division of labour?

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks which organism shows division of labour. This means members of the same group do different jobs for the benefit of the whole colony.

Step 2: Explain the concept Division of labour is a feature of social insects. They live in organized colonies where individuals are specialized into castes, each with a particular function. Examples are termites, ants, and bees.

In a termite colony:

• Queen: lays eggs
• King: mates with the queen
• Workers: gather food, feed the colony, and build and repair the nest
• Soldiers: defend the colony against enemies
• Reproductives (alates): form new colonies

Step 3: Evaluate the options

• A. Butterfly: Solitary. Each butterfly lives independently, with no castes.
• B. Cockroach: Lives in groups, but they are not organized into castes with specialized roles.
• C. Termite: Social insect with distinct castes (king, queen, workers, soldiers). This shows clear division of labour.
• D. Housefly: Solitary. There are no castes or colonies.

Step 4: Answer The correct option is C. termite.

Exam tip: Remember the social insects as "T-A-B": Termites, Ants, Bees (and wasps). If a WASSCE question mentions castes, colonies, or division of labour, think of these three first.