Free Access
| Issue |
Apidologie
Volume 31, Number 4, July-August 2000
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | 479 - 486 | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/apido:2000140 | |
DOI: 10.1051/apido:2000140
Apidologie 31 (2000) 479-486
Modes of worker reproduction, reproductive dominance and brood cell construction in queenless honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies
Peter Neumanna,b - H. Randall Hepburna - Sarah E. Radloffc
aDepartment of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa
bMartin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Fachgebiet Molekulare Ökologie,
Institut für Zoologie, Kröllwitzerstr. 44, 06099 Halle/Saale, Germany
cDepartment of Statistics, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa
(
Abstract:
Colonies of A. m. capensis, A. m. scutellata and their natural hybrids were
dequeened and debrooded. The ratio of worker/drone cell construction and the sex of laying
worker offspring were determined for 26 colonies. All A. m. capensis laying workers
were thelytokous and all A. m. scutellata arrhenotokous. 42.1% of the hybrid
colonies produced only female offspring while none produced only male offspring. This shows a
significant advantage for thelytokous laying workers to become reproductively dominant in
hybrid colonies. A. m. capensis colonies built only worker cells and A. m.
scutellata only drone cells. Hybrid colonies produced either both cell types or only worker
cells according to the mode of laying worker reproduction. In all colonies where laying
workers produced male offspring drone cell building was found. Our data strongly indicates
that the mode of worker reproduction holds important consequences for cell construction and
reproductive dominance.
Apis mellifera capensis / Apis mellifera scutellata / honeybee / hybrids / laying worker / reproductive dominance / brood cell
Correspondence and reprints: Peter Neumann
E-mail: p.neumann@ru.ac.za
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