Stop abandoning North American member of colony (7)
I believe the answer is:
termite
'stop' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I can't see how one could define the other.
I don't understand the rest of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for termite that I've seen before include "Woodworm of warmer regions" , "Social type" , "It lives on wood" , "Six-footer" , "Mound-building insect" .)