Faeries are commonly separated into various ranks, where each individual does their part in aiding the survival of the colony.
Queen: She is the one responsible for maintaining the colony in order. She makes decisions on public relations to other colonies, and on resource management as well. A colony is typically matriarchal, and they don't have a King. However the Queen's partner often aids her in making decisions, and plays an essential part in the royal council. A Queen may marry anyone she wishes, regardless of rank, however a Queen married to a lower rank fairy is rather uncommon to see.
Once she dies, a Queen is replaced by her heir. Each four years, the Queen selects a female fairy from the colony to be a princess, based on a few criteria. This criteria changes from colony to colony, or it can be a random drawing. The princesses receive special treatment from birth, that turns them into Royal Faeries. These faeries are slighly taller than common faeries, and have a different wing pattern. The title of heir goes to the eldest princess, however it can be passed on to a younger faerie if she does not want it.
Scientists/Engineers: These faeries spend most of their time researching things in their lab. They are responsible for the scientific and technological advancements of the colony. It's thanks to them that all the other faeries have access to medicine and even houses, since engineers are also responsible for planning architecture. Scientist faeries are also able to determine survival conditions by studying their environment and weather, and they work closely with the Queen.
Medicine Faeries: A sub-category of Scientist. They specialize in producing and administering medicine. They usually have their own little labs, which are way more accessible, being placed in the common area of the colony. They can aid sick faeries, and treat wounds. They don't do a lot of research like the Scientist faeries, but they are always kept on the loop about new diseases and treatments.
Soldiers: Are responsible for defending the colony from animals, bugs and faeries from enemy colonies. They start their arduous training when they first come of age. These faeries are the strongest in the entire colony, and are taught to wield many weapons, including maces, swords and bows. Soldiers typically specialize in only one of these weapons, and they are all serviceable with their bare fists as well. In colonies of magic faeries, Soldiers will specialize in destruction and elemental magic.
Workers: These are the faeries that do the brute work in maintaining the colony. They are able to saw wood, break stone and move heavy objects. They are responsible for the construction of the houses and other structures of the colony. They are strong, but not very knowledgeable in combat. They also move resources and food to and from their storage areas, to facilitate their use by other faeries.
Gatherers: They go out to the woods to gather plants and food. They collect many things, including fruits, nectar from flowers, herbs, nuts and sometimes even honey (although that is a very rare ingredient only used in special occasions.) They can also collect materials for the colony, like tree bark, leaves, hemp, sap, and many others.
Hunters: They usually live in the outskirts of the colony. Their job is to hunt animals for food and materials. Because of that, they know a lot about the habits of all the creatures that live near the colony, and are able to gather information from things like poop and footprints. Some of the animals they are able to take down are ants, bees, beetles, butterflies and dragonflies. They can also take on bigger animals when they work together, such as mice, birds, and small lizards.
Artisans: They make the tools and utensils used by other faeries, such as vases, pots and bags. They don't often venture into the woods, instead preferring to ask other faeries to get materials for them. The materials they use the most are: clay, to make pots and vases; fibers of hemp or linen, to make bags, clothes and other fabrics; grass and vines to make baskets; scales and tree barks to make armor; feathers and fur to make extravagant clothing. Some artisans make musical instruments and paints, and specialize in the entertainment arts.
Cooks: Although most faeries can cook a meal for themselves, the cooks are the experts in the field. They know how to combine meat and vegetables with herbs and spices to make delicious dishes. Faeries prefer to eat food made by the cooks, as they don't have time to cook, or simply don't want to interrupt their chores to do so. Usually cooks will band together in a single restaurant, and will follow a typical kitchen hierarchy, with the most experienced faerie being the chef.
Scholars: They are usually older, more experienced faeries that are in charge of the libraries of the colony. They keep books and write about events themselves, working as historians, so that the Queen and the rest of the colony can avoid making the same mistakes of past generations. They are also teachers, responsible for educating young faeries and teaching them how to read and write.
Messengers: These faeries know their way around the entire colony, plus the whole area around it. They are responsible for carrying any letters and messages between faeries in the bigger colonies, and even to different colonies altogether. They are fast, and can fly for days straight in order to deliver their messages. They can also help workers in transporting goods to other colonies, due to their immense ability to find their way around. They can use a lot of different methods to not get lost, such as looking at the stars and recurring landmarks.
Elders: Once faeries are old enough, they eventually retire from their duties. Elders are very respected within the colony, and often occupy themselves in teaching their tools of trade to the younger generations. Some faeries, especially old soldiers, remain resilient and strong despite their age, never fully retiring from their duty. They are considered the true masters, and they can even be a part of the royal council if their skill is impressive enough.
Rogues: These are the type of faeries that don't live in a colony. A faerie may have many reasons to abandon their home: they may feel like they don't belong, or that they are unable to work with others. They are usually seen as lazy or anti-social by colony faeries, and in turn some rogues see colony faeries as stuck up sticklers. Sometimes faeries may be exiled from their colonies for inappropriate behaviour, such as violence of any kind, stealing or for refusing to cooperate with the rest of the colony. Rogues live with their life on the line, having to hunt and gather alone and protecting themselves with their own forces. They tend to move around a lot, sometimes approaching unsuspecting colonies to steal food and the like.