Differences between queen- and worker-laid male eggs of the honey bee (Apis mellifera)

Les œufs donnant des mâles sont-ils différents selon qu'ils sont pondus par une reine ou une ouvrière pondeuse chez l'Abeille (Apis mellifera) ?

Jakob Wegener , Matthias W. Lorenz , Kaspar Bienefeld

In this study, we investigated whether differences in the reproductive biology of honey bee (Apis mellifera) queens and laying workers are reflected in their eggs. We first tested the capacity of queen- and worker-laid male eggs to withstand dry conditions, by incubating samples at 30.0, 74.9, and 98.7% relative humidity. We found that worker-laid eggs were more sensitive to desiccation. Secondly, we measured the weight and quantities of vitellin, total protein, lipid, glycogen, and free carbohydrate in queen- and worker-laid eggs. Although worker-laid eggs were found to be heavier than queen-laid eggs in two of the four replicates, no systematic differences were found regarding nutrient content. Finally, we compared the duration of embryo development in the two egg types. Worker-laid eggs developed more slowly than queen-laid eggs in two out of three replicates, suggesting that they may only be partly mature at the moment they are laid. Possible causes and consequences of the observed differences are discussed.

Mots clés: Apis mellifera; egg; hatching rate; nutrient; laying worker<br>---<br>Apis mellifera; taux d'éclosion; ouvrière pondeuse; nutriments

Domaines: Zoologie des invertébrés; Biodiversité; Ecologie, Environnement; Science des productions animales

Jakob Wegener, Matthias W. Lorenz, Kaspar Bienefeld. Differences between queen- and worker-laid male eggs of the honey bee (Apis mellifera). Apidologie, 2010, 41 (1), ⟨10.1051/apido/2009061⟩. ⟨hal-00892054⟩