Table 1. Examples of thermoregulation and nesting strategies in social insects.

Thermoregulation characteristic	Thermoregulation strategy	Nest type	Taxa and species involved	References
Temperature is stable, same as the temperature of the soil	Brood translocation	Underground nests only	Ants: Tetramorium tsushimae, genus Lasius and Myrmica, Pogonomyrmex; Termites: genus Coptotermes	Hólldobler & Wilson (1990) 23, 47, Sanada - Morimura & al. (2005) 59
Temperature is not stable, nest follows microhabitat temperature - oscillations can be buffered by insulation properties of microhabitat, sometimes natural structures can be used as heat accumulators	Brood translocation	Nests in wood (logs or stumps), in leaf litter, and under stones	Ants: Acromyrmex ambiguus, Camponotus mus, C. vicinus, Myrmica punctiventris Roger, Onychomyrmex hedleyi, Polyrhachis simplex Termites: Kalotermitidae, Hodotermitidae, Rhinotermitidae, Termopsidae	Banschbach & al. (1997) 32, Bollazzi & Roces (2007) 30, Roces & Nunez (1989) 29, Chen & al. (2002) 56, Hólldobler & Wilson (1990) 23, 47, Miyata & al. (2003) 58, Ofer (1970) 57
Temperature oscillates, the thermal gradient could be greater than the ambient temperature because the mound surface serves as a solar collector	Brood translocation	Underground nest with aboveground crater or similar structure + above ground soil (soil and fecal pellets mixture) or thatch mound	Ants: Acromyrmex heyeri, genus Lasius, Myrmica rubra, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis, Solenopsis invicta, Termites: Cephalotermes rectangularis, Microceretermes edantatus, Thoracotermes macrothorax	Weir (1973) 39, Bollazzi & Roces (2002) 38, Cassil & al. (2002) 69, Cole (1994) 60, Hólldobler & Wilson (1990) 23, 47, Lüscher (1961) 62, Nielsen (1972) 67
Energy is accumulated by spatial structure - silk caps of pupal cells storing sun energy	Stable temperature	Paper nest	Hornet: Vespa orientalis	Ishay & Barenholz-Paniry (1995) 64
Energy is accumulated by sun bathing ants and is transported into the nest	Stable temperature	Underground nest + above ground organic mounds	Wood ants : Formica rufa, F.polyctena	Coenen-Stass (1985) 14, Frouz (2000) 15, Zahn (1958) 51
Nest is heated by the sun (temperature of peripheral layers oscillates) + inner core with more stable temperature, heated by metabolism of termites or ants	Stable temperature (?)	Aboveground nest in wood (living trees)	Termites: Coptotermes acinaciformis, C. frenchi	Greaves (1964) 65
	Stable temperature (?)	Underground nest + aboveground soil mound	Termites: family Termitidae, Macrotermes bellicosus, Amitermes merionalis; Ants genus Atta - Atta texana, A. vollenweideri	Kleineidam & al. (2001) 27, Hólldobler & Wilson (1990) 23, 47, Korb & Linsenmair (1998, 2000) 25, 42, Grigg (1973) 26
Nest is heated by sun (temperature of peripheral layers oscillates in small nests or stable in big ones) + inner core with stable temperature, heated by metabolism of ants + decay of organic material	Stable temperature	Underground nest + above ground organic mounds	Wood ants: genus Formica – Formica aquilonia, F. rufa, F. polyctena	Coenen-Stass (1985) 14, Frouz (2000) 15, Rosengren & al. (1987) 46, Zahn (1958) 51
Stable temperature inside the cluster is maintained by ant metabolism	Stable temperature	No stable nest - bivouacs	“Army ants” Eciton burcheli, E. hamatum	Franks (1989) 48, Schneirla (1971) 41
Active heating by members using contractions of muscles	Stable temperature	Wax or paper nest in air or various cavities	Honey bees, Stingless bees, Bumble bees, Wasps: Apis mellifera, A. florea, A. dorsata, Bombus sp., Trigona denoiti, Vespa simillima, V.xanthoptera, V. crabro	Fletcher & Crewe (1981) 61, Heinrich (1981) 20, Ishay (1973) 63, Martin (1988) 50, Morse & Laigo (1969) 66, O´Donnell & Foster (2001) 68