Drone and Worker Brood Microclimates Are Regulated Differentially in Honey Bees, Apis mellifera.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Honey bee (Apis mellifera) drones and workers show differences in morphology, physiology, and behavior. Because the functions of drones are more related to colony reproduction, and those of workers relate to both survival and reproduction, we hypothesize that the microclimate for worker brood is more precisely regulated than that of drone brood.

Methodology/principal findings

We assessed temperature and relative humidity (RH) inside honey bee colonies for both drone and worker brood throughout the three-stage development period, using digital HOBO® Data Loggers. The major findings of this study are that 1) both drone and worker castes show the highest temperature for eggs, followed by larvae and then pupae; 2) temperature in drones are maintained at higher precisi

SUBMITTER: Li Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4755576 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature