Man vs "nonintelligent" insects

[ezra abrams]

short story
man and companions flies to asteroid with insect race, most castes are un intelligent; one cast serves as ports to vacumn
people cause disturbance in colony, the intelligent caste emerges, says humans will be defeated

what is this story

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

This sounds like "Swarm" by Bruce Sterling.

Swarm (novelette) - Wikipedia

The Shaper Captain-Doctor Simon Afriel, a passenger in an Investor ship, arrives at an asteroid in another solar system to study a colony of a non-intelligent species known as the Swarm. Their society has an insect-like hierarchy with a queen and different castes . . .

The queen lays an egg that develops into a new form which is vigorously protected during development. Once fully developed it is revealed to be a new caste with superior intelligence . . .

Reprinted many times:

Title: Swarm

Original appearance, with the cover art illustrating the story: