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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Tucson, Arizona » Carl Hayden Bee Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #126476
Title: PATRILINE COMPOSITION OF WORKER POPULATIONS IN HONEY BEE (APIS MELLIFERA L.) COLONIES HEADED BY QUEENS INSEMINATED WITH AFRICAN AND EUROPEAN DRONES

Author
item DeGrandi-Hoffman, Gloria
item TARPY, DAVID - CORNELL UNIVERSITY, NY
item SCHNEIDER, STANLEY - UNIV. N. CAROLINA

Submitted to: Apidologie
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/13/2002
Publication Date: 10/20/2003
Citation: DeGrandi-Hoffman, G., Tarpy, D. A., Schneider, S. S. Patriline composition of worker populations in honeybee (Apis mellifera) colonies headed by queens inseminated with semen from African and European drones. 2003. Apidologie 34, 111-120.

Interpretive Summary: Queens with either European or African matrilines were mated to African and European drones to determine rates of sperm utilization. The first month after the queens were inseminated, they produced equal proportions of African and European patriline workers. However, for the next 3-4 months, more than 70 percent of the workers produced by queens of either matriline had African patrilines. Overall, the queens produced a majority of African patriline workers during the six-month study period. The possible impact that a higher rate of sperm utilization from African drones might have on the Africanization process is discussed.

Technical Abstract: Queens with either European or African matrilines were mated to African and European drones to determine rates of sperm utilization. The first month after the queens were inseminated, they produced equal proportions of African and European patriline workers. However, for the next 3-4 months, more than 70% of the workers produced by queens of either matriline had African patrilines. Overall, the queens produced a majority of African patriline workers during the six-month study period. The possible impact that a higher rate of sperm utilization from African drones might have on the Africanization process is discussed.