Honey Bee Reproduction

Question 1

Sex ratio of queens to drones

Answer 1

1-5 thous drons per <5 queens

Question 2

Why would you replace queen?

Answer 2

• sudden loss
• swarming
• supersedure events
• not laying enough eggs- replace w daughter

Question 3

How would you replace queen?

Answer 3

• enlarge hexagonal cell
• feed larvae royal jelly
• perceived within a couple hours that they don’t have a queen

Question 4

Drones diploid or haploid? Develop from unfertilized or fertilized eggs? what is this process called? What is their function?

Answer 4

Haploid
Unfertilized
Parthenogenesis
Inseminate virgin queens

Question 5

How does the queen get rid of rival queen?

Answer 5

Perforates and stings, fights til death

Question 6

Mating between queens and drones occur in __________. Drone and virgin queens find ______ sites without being guided.

Answer 6

Congregation areas
same sites (never changes)

Question 7

Drones may fly ____ to reach congregation area, queens fly ____ from their nests. Distances flown to mate along with the fact that queens are _______ indicate that ____-breeding is the rule in populations. this ensures _______ variability.

Answer 7

7+km
2-3km
polyandrous (mate w many drones)
out-breeding
genetic

Question 8

How many drones does a queen mate with in the course of 1-10 mating flights? when do these mating flights take place?

Answer 8

10-40
first 2 weeks of emergence

Question 9

What happens to the queen after mating? what happens to the drone?

Answer 9

queen brings back “mating signal”; drones reproductive organs inside her
she develops her ovaries and begins to lay eggs
drone dies bc he lost his reproductive organs

Question 10

Where does queen store her semen containing sperm cells? How long is it viable for?

Answer 10

spermatheca
thoroughly mixed semen, excess discarded
several years

Question 11

Mated queens lay how many types of eggs? what are they

Answer 11

fertilized
unfertilized

Question 12

how do queens differentiate from workers

Answer 12

drones dont have stinger
drones produced through parthenogenesis
cast out of colony for mating flights w queens then dies
can be produced by workers if queenless long enough for workers to dev ovaries
queen cells vs hexagonal cells
fed royal jelly vs nectar/pollen
if diploid drone born, killed by undertakers?

Question 13

Reproduction at colony level

Answer 13

• swarming; natural division of one colony into 2 or more; natural means of reproduction and dispersal of honey bee colonies

Question 14

swarming takes place when

Answer 14

resources are abundant in the field, favours reproduction

Question 15

Swarming precursors

Answer 15

Honey bee population builds up in spring, congests brood nest, reduced queen substance distribution, heat inside hive

Question 16

Signs of swarming

Answer 16

1. workers reduce foraging
2. bees accumulate at hive entrance (beard)
3. presence of queen cells in brood nest

Question 17

in prep for swarming (may-june), the queen _____ egg laying rate and consumes _______ food to _____ weight.

Answer 17

reduces
less
lose

Question 18

Primary swarm –> virgin queen

Answer 18

first swarm
contains 1/2 population of colonys workers and the old queen
bees leaving hive settle on nearby tree
leave temporary location to final destination
virgin queen performs mating flights and becomes mother of the parental colony

Question 19

Nest selection:

Answer 19

scout bees look for cavities in hollow trees, rocks, walls, attract nestmates to entrance, nest building behind, foraging is resumed to gatehr & store resources.

Question 20

Swarming is _______for modern beekeeping because colonies that swarm_____ population and produce ______ honey

Answer 20

detrimental
lose
less

Question 21

Management practices to control swarming

Answer 21

1. colony inspetions to destroy queen cells
2. provision of space
3. removal of entrance reducers to facilitate ventilation
4. requeening