honey bee sexuality

Definition

The reproductive biology and mating system of honey bees (Apis spp.), characterized by haplodiploid sex determination, polyandrous queen mating, and extreme sexual dimorphism between reproductive females (queens), sterile female workers, and haploid males (drones). Queens mate with multiple males during nuptial flights, storing sperm for life; fertilized eggs develop into diploid females, while unfertilized eggs become haploid males via arrhenotoky.

Etymology

Example

In Apis mellifera, a queen may mate with 12–20 drones in flight, then use stored sperm to fertilize or not fertilize each egg she lays—demonstrating how honey bee sexuality combines genetic control of sex with behavioral flexibility in colony-level reproduction.

Synonyms

• apis reproductive biology
• honey bee mating system

Related Terms

• Haplodiploidy
• Arrhenotoky
• Nuptial flight
• Queen substance
• drone congregation area
• complementary sex determination
• eusociality
• haplodiploid sex determination

Usage Notes

The term encompasses genetic mechanisms (haplodiploidy), behavioral components (mating flights, pheromone-mediated reproduction), and social consequences (worker sterility, queen-worker conflict). Contrast with termite sexuality (diploid both sexes, monogamous kings/queens) and vertebrate systems. "Sexuality" here refers to biological reproduction, not sexual behavior in the ethological sense. Sometimes imprecisely called "honey bee reproduction," though that broader term includes asexual colony propagation (swarming).