biostudies-literatureCrevet MAgence Nationale de la Recherche1057https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12737656biostudies-literatureUnknown13(12)In honeybees (<i>Apis mellifera</i> L.), the queen ensures the reproduction of the colony. Environmental contamination that could alter this function could compromise the survival of the colony. Ionizing radiation could be such a factor, but its effects have never been studied in queens. The effects of gamma irradiation on queen bees were evaluated under laboratory conditions. The queens were irradiated for 14 days at dose rates of 0.1, 13, and 3500 µGy/h, and mortality, reproductive potential, and several physiological biomarkers were investigated. Irradiation did not affect the survival of the queens or the number of sperm stored in the spermatheca. However, sperm viability and reproductive potential decreased significantly at 13 and 3500 µGy/h. Among the biomarkers analyzed (antioxidantToxicsEffects of Ionizing Radiation on <i>Apis mellifera</i> L. Queens.PMC12737656ANR-21-CE34-0002Crevet MKairo GDubourg NMarcuccini GBelzunces LPBrunet JLGagnaire BPelissier MfalseEffects of Ionizing Radiation on <i>Apis mellifera</i> L. Queens.In honeybees (<i>Apis mellifera</i> L.), the queen ensures the reproduction of the colony. Environmental contamination that could alter this function could compromise the survival of the colony. Ionizing radiation could be such a factor, but its effects have never been studied in queens. The effects of gamma irradiation on queen bees were evaluated under laboratory conditions. The queens were irradiated for 14 days at dose rates of 0.1, 13, and 3500 µGy/h, and mortality, reproductive potential, and several physiological biomarkers were investigated. Irradiation did not affect the survival of the queens or the number of sperm stored in the spermatheca. However, sperm viability and reproductive potential decreased significantly at 13 and 3500 µGy/h. Among the biomarkers analyzed (antioxidant2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Dec2026-05-26T20:06:49.969Z2026-05-26T03:12:19.306ZS-EPMC127376564144127810.3390/toxics13121057