Colony productivity depends on queen promiscuity

Honey bees need to be healthy and thriving to pollinate plants effectively, yet we are only beginning to understand how fundamental aspects of honey bee biology contribute to the success of colonies. I will discuss a growing... [ view full abstract ]

Honey bees need to be healthy and thriving to pollinate plants effectively, yet we are only beginning to understand how fundamental aspects of honey bee biology contribute to the success of colonies. I will discuss a growing body of evidence that shows that the promiscuous mating behavior of honey bee queens has clear benefits for colony health and productivity. The ancestral state for bees, ants, and wasps – all members of the dynamic insect group Order Hymenoptera – is presumed to be monandry (a single mate per queen). However, queens of every honey bee species are extremely polyandrous (multiple mates per queen). While mating with multiple males is a risky business for honey bee queens, it simultaneously boosts levels of genetic diversity in each colony by introducing into work forces multiple subfamilies of workers who carry genes from many drone fathers. Why should beekeepers and researchers pay attention to this strange quirk of honey bee mating biology? Honey bee colonies with extremely promiscuous queens are substantially more active as foragers than colonies that lack genetic diversity because of single drone paternity. Enhanced foraging effort in genetically diverse colonies is supported in part by a greater exchange of foraging-related signals, such as waggle dances and shaking signals exchanged between senders and receivers. Genetically diverse colonies also maintain more stable colony conditions and mount a stronger defense against disease. These findings have important consequences for the impact of queen mating status on the vigor of honey bee colonies and the performance by worker bees of essential pollinator services.