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Questions and Answers
What is the primary role of the queen in social insects?
What is the primary role of the queen in social insects?
- To reproduce and lay eggs (correct)
- To gather food for the colony
- To defend the colony from predators
- To regulate the temperature of the hive
How does the food received by a larva determine its role as a queen or worker in honeybees?
How does the food received by a larva determine its role as a queen or worker in honeybees?
- Presence of flowers in the diet leads to a queen
- Higher protein content leads to a queen
- Lower fat content leads to a queen
- Higher hexose content leads to a queen (correct)
What is one reason why worker bees have a much shorter lifespan compared to queens?
What is one reason why worker bees have a much shorter lifespan compared to queens?
- They perform more strenuous tasks
- They are subjected to more predation
- They do not receive royal jelly (correct)
- They are genetically different from queens
Which of the following statements regarding sociality in insects is accurate?
Which of the following statements regarding sociality in insects is accurate?
What do worker honeybees feed to potential queens?
What do worker honeybees feed to potential queens?
Which characteristic is NOT typically associated with a queen honeybee?
Which characteristic is NOT typically associated with a queen honeybee?
What is the typical lifespan of a queen termite?
What is the typical lifespan of a queen termite?
What factor primarily influences whether a female honeybee larva becomes a queen or a worker?
What factor primarily influences whether a female honeybee larva becomes a queen or a worker?
What is the primary function of male bees in Hymenoptera societies?
What is the primary function of male bees in Hymenoptera societies?
How does a queen honeybee determine the sex of her offspring?
How does a queen honeybee determine the sex of her offspring?
What is a unique characteristic of ant colonies compared to other Hymenoptera societies?
What is a unique characteristic of ant colonies compared to other Hymenoptera societies?
Which factor contributes to a queen's control over worker reproduction in many bee species?
Which factor contributes to a queen's control over worker reproduction in many bee species?
In terms of fertilization, what type of egg does a queen lay to produce female bees?
In terms of fertilization, what type of egg does a queen lay to produce female bees?
How many sperm does the queen of fire ants typically use to fertilize an egg?
How many sperm does the queen of fire ants typically use to fertilize an egg?
What is the first duty of a worker bee after emergence?
What is the first duty of a worker bee after emergence?
What is the general range of worker numbers in bumblebee colonies?
What is the general range of worker numbers in bumblebee colonies?
Which stage follows the cleaning of brood cells in the life of a worker bee?
Which stage follows the cleaning of brood cells in the life of a worker bee?
What is the total potential number of ants in a colony of Japanese red wood ants?
What is the total potential number of ants in a colony of Japanese red wood ants?
What is NOT a duty performed by worker bees?
What is NOT a duty performed by worker bees?
Which of the following accurately defines a potential duty of a worker bee?
Which of the following accurately defines a potential duty of a worker bee?
How do worker bees contribute to the hive's security?
How do worker bees contribute to the hive's security?
What happens to drone bees at certain points in their lives?
What happens to drone bees at certain points in their lives?
What is the genetic makeup of male bees in the Hymenoptera order?
What is the genetic makeup of male bees in the Hymenoptera order?
How do female bees develop?
How do female bees develop?
What characteristic defines haplodiploidy?
What characteristic defines haplodiploidy?
What chromosome set does the mother bee (queen) possess?
What chromosome set does the mother bee (queen) possess?
How do males develop in the Hymenoptera order?
How do males develop in the Hymenoptera order?
Which option represents the genetic composition of the father bee?
Which option represents the genetic composition of the father bee?
In the context of haplodiploidy, what role does sperm play in female development?
In the context of haplodiploidy, what role does sperm play in female development?
What type of chromosomes do females possess in a haplodiploid species?
What type of chromosomes do females possess in a haplodiploid species?
What determines the gender of a bee?
What determines the gender of a bee?
What is the difference between a queen and a worker bee?
What is the difference between a queen and a worker bee?
What is the chromosomal makeup of a drone bee?
What is the chromosomal makeup of a drone bee?
How can a worker bee produce sons even without mating?
How can a worker bee produce sons even without mating?
What is the process of sex determination in bees called?
What is the process of sex determination in bees called?
What is the 'complementary allele model'?
What is the 'complementary allele model'?
How does the size of a bee's cell affect its development?
How does the size of a bee's cell affect its development?
Why is a drone bee considered the 'mother's boy'?
Why is a drone bee considered the 'mother's boy'?
Study Notes
Social Insects and Royalty
- Social insects, such as ants, wasps, bees, and termites, have a queen that helps maximize the fitness of the colony, while workers forego producing their own offspring.
- In Social Hymenoptera (ants, wasps, bees), there is a queen, while in Social Isoptera (termites), there is a king and queen.
- Queens (and kings) are typically long-lived, with termites living up to 15 years and honeybees living up to 4 years.
- Their sole task is often reproduction, while other individuals are often sterile and don't reproduce.
Life Cycle of Honeybees
- The life cycle of honeybees involves eggs, larvae, pupae, and adult bees.
- Queens are not genetically different from workers; the difference lies in the food they receive as larvae.
- In honeybees, larvae turn into queens when food nectar contains more than 35% hexose, and workers when there is less than 10% hexose.
- Workers feed "queens to be" with royal jelly, which ensures bee queens live for 2-4 years.
Size of Insect Societies
- In honeybees, there is one queen and up to 40,000 workers.
- In bumblebees, there is one queen and 20-500 workers.
- In wasps, there are 1 to 1000s of queens and 1000s to millions of workers.
- In ants, there are 1 to over a million queens; up to many million workers.
- One Japanese red wood ant colony contains 307 million ants, including 306 million workers and about 1.1 million queens.
Haplodiploid Sex Determination
- In Hymenoptera, the workers are invariably female, while males are good only for mating.
- Termites also have male workers.
- Haplodiploid sex determination means males are haploid (have one set of chromosomes), while females are diploid (have two sets of chromosomes).
- The queen can decide on the sex of her offspring by controlling the fertilization of eggs.
Coercion and Reproduction
- In many species, workers can lay unfertilized eggs, which are haploid and will turn into males.
- Queens "control" the reproduction of their workers by pheromones, physical "bullying," and actively eating eggs laid by workers.
Haplodiploidy in Bees
- Bees have haplodiploidy, where males are haploid and females are diploid.
- Female bees are created when a sperm from a male fertilizes a female's egg, resulting in a diploid daughter.
- Males develop from unfertilized eggs, making them haploid.
Duties of Worker Bees
- Worker bees start their duties immediately after emergence, including cleaning brood cells, tending larvae, constructing, guarding the hive, and foraging.
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Description
Explore the social hierarchy of insects like ants, wasps, bees, and termites, focusing on the role of queens and kings in maximizing colony fitness.
