<p>Members of a eusocial colony work cooperatively to function as a superorganism. Colony structure can range from a single nest with a single queen to multiple nests with multiple queens spanning a large geographic area. It is often&#xa0;assumed across the honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae, <i>Apis</i> spp.) literature that all colonies consist of a single nest and queen. Varied colony structures (VCSs), such as polydomous colonies and supercolonies, have been extensively studied in ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), yet are rarely considered for other eusocial organisms. We identified seven common characteristics of VCSs in ants, spanning behavioral, spatial, genetic, and life history characteristics. We used the available literature to evaluate evidence for the presence or absence of these common characteristics of VCSs in honey bees. Honey bees share many common characteristics with ant species demonstrating VCSs. The commonalities include aggregations of nests, superorganism reproduction by budding, and movement of individuals among nests. Examining the current literature on honey bees reveals key areas of research needed to determine the existence of VCSs in managed and unmanaged populations. Future research investigating VCSs in honey bees should address behavioral patterns and chemical mechanisms of nestmate recognition, drivers of nest aggregations, and the presence of multiple queens in a colony. Studying VCSs in a variety of eusocial organisms may reveal patterns that provide insights into inter-nest competition and cooperation, species life history, and the evolution of sociality across taxa.</p>