Which process refers to a queen ant mating within the nest and starting a new colony?

The process in which a queen ant mated within the nest and starts a new colony is known as budding. This reproductive strategy allows for the establishment of a new colony while still maintaining a close genetic relationship with the original colony. In budding, a portion of the existing colony, including the queen and some workers, can leave the parent colony to establish a new nest nearby, which ensures the survival and growth of their genetic lineage.

This differs from swarming, which involves large numbers of ants leaving the colony in a mass flight to mate and establish new colonies, typically during specific seasons. Caste formation refers to the differentiation of roles within a colony, such as workers, soldiers, and reproductive individuals, rather than the process of forming new colonies. Food sharing is a behavior seen within ant colonies that facilitates nutrition and social bonding but does not pertain to colony formation.