Intracolonial behavioral variation in worker oviposition, oophagy, and larval care in queenless honey bee colonies

G. E. Robinson, Robert Page, M. K. Fondrk

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

70 Scopus citations

Abstract

In Experiment 1, allozyme analyses of Apis mellifera, workers and worker-derived drone larvae revealed that in half the colonies, there were genotypic differences in worker egg-laying behavior (presumed to involve actual oviposition), but biases in drone production were not always consistent with biases in egg-laying behavior. In Experiment 2, allozyme analyses again revealed intracolonial differences in egg-laying behavior and in behavior patterns though to involve oophagy and larval care. Data support the hypothesis of a genetic influence on this intracolonial behavioral variation. Differences in the genotypic distributions of worker-derived drones relative to workers engaged in oviposition behavior in queenless colonies may be a consequence of genetic variability for egg production or for treatment of eggs and larvae (possibly coupled with kin recognition), or both. -from Authors

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationBehavioral Ecology & Sociobiology
Pages315-323
Number of pages9
Volume26
Edition5
StatePublished - 1990
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Earth and Planetary Sciences
  • General Environmental Science

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