How important is the presence of a society/ type of society within a species,(animal kingdom specifically) for survival?

Do strong societal traits within a species decrease the chance of extinction? What is the most successful societal trait, or societal system, that can a species have? I feel as though more solitary animals run a greater risk of endangerment or extinction, along with many other traits of course. I feel like existence itself relies on repetition within itself,[like a fractal] leading me to theorize that perhaps the precedent of a super-organism, is a vital trait for a successful species. Where I've encountered problems with this theory, is the endangerment of animals that are extremely social creatures, such as gorillas, elephants, chimpanzees, orangutans, orca whales, and others. One possibility I've come up with is that most of these animals listed on the endangered list, that rely heavily on social constructs, have been observed to pass the "mirror test", which is a test created to measure self-awareness in a species. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror_test) They are able to recognize themselves as an individual, which is a solitary experience.[solitary to each individual, that is] Having this higher cognitive capabilities presents the possibility of possessing altruistic behaviors, which is a trait that (usually) proves to aid in the extinction of species. Therefore, perhaps what creates a successful species, is following a specific societal concept, of complete removal of the individual, where each member acts solely on primal instincts, reacting to certain triggers, with the all-inclusive, pure absence of self-awareness. Would this be a species that is blind, with no intelligence or abilities of comprehension whatsoever? Or, is it a true, pure, absolute understanding? The creation of a super-organism. Do you think it could be possible that the less cognitive abilities a being has, the closer it is to an overall absolute consciousness, or awareness? I think Honey Bees are a good example of this.( Yes I know that honey bees are endangered, and I could go into a whole other conversation about this, because human involvement is a huge part of that, and I feel human involvement is much much different then a "normal" predator involvement in the endangerment of a species. For now... please just omit this fact, to keep things simple.) Female worker bees are equipped with stingers, which are loaded with venom and "attack" pheromones. Honey bees will rarely sting if they are far from their hive, but if the offender is near the hive, and the bee views the hive to be threatened, they will actively seek out and sting the threat. When stinging offenders with thick skin, such as mammals, the bee will become disemboweled, and die. This defense mechanism shows the clear lack of a sense of individuality in bees. The defense mechanism is NOT USED when the bee is collecting nectar far away from the hive, on her own. The defense mechanism is only used when the HIVE is threatened, not her. When the honeybee is disemboweled, not only is venom released into the perceived threat, but also, an "attack" pheromone is released, that prompt other female worker bees to seek out and also attack the threat. All these "citizens" die for the greater benefit of the hive as a whole. __Because of this specific defense mechanism, many people refer to honey bees as being altruistic. I agree that they display a type of altruism, but not the kind of altruism that will lead a species to extinction, and will tell you why. First off, I have read the varying types of Altrusim, but I have not found specific definitions I am happy with... so I won't be using those terms. If you know of a term that fits what I am describing, please say so in the comments. When altruism occurs in animals with higher cognitive abilities, usually it's a display of concern, for the welfare of others. I'll also add that these displays of altruism aren't necessarily exclusive to their own species, but there is a general concern for the welfare of others, present within them. Honeybees, on the otherhand, are not feeling a concern for others. Though they are sacrificing themselves for the well-being for the rest of the hive, they aren't actually aware that what they are doing is for that purpose. They aren't knowingly saving the hive, or other bees they are acting on an instict that has been instilled within them, through the process of evolution, for that greater purpose. It is purely acting on animal instict, to a simple trigger. Anyways enough of me talking.... what do you guys think? Do you see any faults in what I've stated here? Any questions I completely missed? Anything you think you have to add would be super appreciated.