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Updated: Jul 19, 2026
08:49
Assessing Agrochemical Risk to Mated Honey Bee Queens
Published on: March 3, 2021
Queen promiscuity lowers disease within honeybee colonies
Thomas D Seeley1, David R Tarpy
1Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. tds5@cornell.edu
Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|October 4, 2006
Summary
Polyandry, where honeybee queens mate with multiple males, enhances colony disease resistance. Genetically diverse colonies led by polyandrous queens showed lower American foulbrood intensity and greater strength.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Insect behavior
- Social insect genetics
Background:
- Most social insects have singly mated queens.
- Some species exhibit polyandry, where queens mate with multiple males, leading to genetically diverse worker forces.
- The adaptive significance of polyandry in social insects is an ongoing evolutionary puzzle.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the hypothesis that polyandry in honeybee queens (Apis mellifera) improves colony resistance to disease.
- To investigate the link between queen mating frequency and colony health.
Main Methods:
- Established honeybee colonies headed by queens artificially inseminated by either one or 10 drones.
- Inoculated colonies with spores of Paenibacillus larvae, the causative agent of American foulbrood.
- Assessed disease intensity and colony strength at the end of summer.
Main Results:
- Colonies headed by queens inseminated by multiple drones exhibited significantly lower disease intensity.
- These polyandrously mated colonies also demonstrated higher overall colony strength.
- A clear correlation was observed between polyandry and improved colony health metrics.
Conclusions:
- Findings support the hypothesis that polyandry is an adaptation for enhancing disease resistance in social insect colonies.
- Polyandry provides a genetic advantage, enabling colonies to better combat pathogens like Paenibacillus larvae.
- This study elucidates a key evolutionary driver for polyandry in honeybees.
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