Drone sperm

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Bcrazy

Drone Bee
Joined
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Location
Warboys, CAMBS
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nil bees given away all colonies
I gave a talk to our association the other evening on the reproduction organs of the queen and drone followed by the mating process.
I was asked a question or should I say questions that I could not answer.
So does any one know the following?

1. How does the queen regulate the amount of sperm to each egg as it passes into the fold of her organs? And how many sperm are allotted to each egg?

2. What is the make-up of the fluid that allows sperm to live for up to 5 years?

Thanks to those who help.
 
I gave a talk to our association the other evening on the reproduction organs of the queen and drone followed by the mating process.
I was asked a question or should I say questions that I could not answer.
So does any one know the following?

1. How does the queen regulate the amount of sperm to each egg as it passes into the fold of her organs? And how many sperm are allotted to each egg?

2. What is the make-up of the fluid that allows sperm to live for up to 5 years?

Thanks to those who help.
The answer to question 1 is the egg closes the door after the entry of 1 sperm .
Question 2 has me beat but nutrients are secreted by the spermathica for the life span of the Queen .

John Wilkinson
 
Hi John,
Many thanks for that but it did not really answer my question I want to know how many sperm does the queen regulate for each egg, it has to bee more than one otherwise it could bee hit or miss. Can you tell me where to obtain this information?
Many thanks John,

Best wishes,
 
A source for this information is "Bee Sex essentials" by Larry Connor. I don't have the book with me right now but I will take a look when I can. Off the top of my head I think the figure for number of sperm released is about 6.

I think there's also some info on this in the webcast by Dr. David Tarpy for Brushy Mountain Bee farm: http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Resources/Videos.asp on Commercial queen quality.
 
Last edited:
A source for this information is "Bee Sex essentials" by Larry Connor. I don't have the book with me right now but I will take a look when I can. Off the top of my head I think the figure for number of sperm released is about 6.

I think there's also some info on this in the webcast by Dr. David Tarpy for Brushy Mountain Bee farm: http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Resources/Videos.asp on Commercial queen quality.

According to The biology of the honey bee by Mark L. Winston it is true that the sperm released by Drones is a few at a time, but he does not seem to give an exact amount.
 
should that not read the sperm is released by the Queen a few at a time?

The Drones ejaculate in bulk as it were on dying.

PH
 
In " Queen Bee: Biology, Rearing and Breeding" , David Woodward says :
1. A small 's' shaped pump and valve, about half way along the duct, opens and allows a small amount of sperm and seminal fluid to travel from the spermatheca through the duct to fertilise the egg in the vagina
2. Sperm stored in the spermatheca are supplied with nutrients from the spermathecal gland, this ensures the sperm remain viable for many years
 
Read

If members wish to obtain the correct information (poly hive is correct ) but which gives much more detail about muscle movement etc is to read
Bee Genetics and Breeding by T.E. Rinderer chapter 10 reproduction and mating page 270 that will clear up any miss-conceptions.

Mo
 
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