Genetic diversity within honeybee colonies prevents severe infections and promotes colony growth.

Abstract excerpt

Multiple mating by social insect queens increases the genetic diversity among colony members, thereby reducing intracolony relatedness and lowering the potential inclusive fitness gains of altruistic workers. Increased genetic diversity may be adaptive, however, by reducing the prevalence of disease within a nest. Honeybees, whose queens have the highest levels of multiple mating among social insects, were...

Topics

Share this publication in a Topic to start or enrich a Post.

• Share to Bees
• Share to Genetic Predisposition to Disease
• Share to Genetic Variation