▁risk - bal ancing ▁behav iors . ▁The ▁queen ' s ▁efforts ▁are ▁much ▁more ▁valuable ▁in ▁reprodu ction ▁and ▁bro od - re aring ▁when ▁she ▁is ▁young , ▁first ▁to ▁build ▁the ▁col ony , ▁then ▁to ▁preserve ▁it . ▁There ▁is ▁a ▁high ▁risk ▁of ▁injury ▁or ▁death ▁in ▁for aging , ▁which ▁the ▁queen ▁off sets ▁by ▁allowing ▁the ▁worker ▁be es ▁to ▁do ▁this ▁dangerous ▁task . ▁However , ▁towards ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁col ony ▁cycle , ▁when ▁the ▁worker ▁population ▁has ▁begun ▁to ▁dw ind le , ▁the ▁queen ▁is ▁best ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁for ager , ▁to ▁provide ▁su sten ance ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁generation ▁of ▁re product ive ▁be es . ▁ ▁Th erm or eg ulation ▁in ▁inc ub ation ▁ ▁This ▁be e ▁species ▁has ▁po ik il oth erm ic ▁eggs ▁– ▁they ▁are ▁unable ▁to ▁reg ulate ▁their ▁own ▁temperature ▁independently ▁of ▁the ▁ambient ▁temperature . ▁However , ▁it ▁has ▁been ▁observed ▁that ▁egg ▁cl umps ▁under going ▁inc ub ation ▁are ▁able ▁to ▁maintain ▁consistent ▁temper atures . ▁E gg ▁inc ub ation ▁is ▁accomplished ▁by ▁the ▁queen ▁extending ▁her ▁ab d omen ▁out ▁to ▁touch ▁the ▁bro od ▁and ▁make ▁full ▁contact , ▁while ▁her ▁legs ▁wrap ▁around ▁and ▁anchor ▁her ▁body ▁to ▁the ▁bro od ▁cl ump . ▁While ▁this ▁position ▁is ▁assumed , ▁the ▁ab dom inal ▁temperature ▁of ▁the ▁queen ▁increases ▁greatly , ▁and ▁met abol ism , ▁as ▁measured ▁by ▁o xygen ▁consumption ,