6.24 Laying Workers And DLQ

Question 1

What happens to worker policing once workers start laying?

Answer 1

It begins to breakdown but this takes time.

Question 2

What prevents workers laying eggs?

Answer 2

Pheremones from the brood and the queen prevent the worker’s ovaries developing. Specifically QMP and tergal glands inhibt ovarian activation

Question 3

What state do the worker ovaries remain in?

Answer 3

Vestigial

Question 4

What are the signs of laying workers?

Answer 4

Spotty brood pattern, eggs not at the bottom of the cells, multiple eggs in the cells

Question 5

What happens to workers ovaries after queen loss?

Answer 5

Intialy the will develop but when the laying workers start to lay, the drone brood is produced the ovaries are resorbed.It takes between 5-30 days for ovary development after queen is lost.

Question 6

What makes Apis capensis (The Cape Honey Bee)different to Apis mellifera?

Answer 6

They have the ability to produce workers from worker eggs and individual workers have greater amounts of queen pheremone similarity.

Question 7

What changes occur to the DuFour’s gland in laying workers?

Answer 7

After queen is lost the pheremones become more queen like with more wax type compoents.

Question 8

What are rebel workers?

Answer 8

These are those worker who develop from a worker larvae laid by the queen after the queen has died. They have a higher reproductive potnetial than normal workers.

Question 9

What causes a Drone laying queen?

Answer 9

She will eventually run out of sperm or if poorly mated. She lays unfertilised eggs sooner.