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Why are workers in social hymenoptera not males?

Warwick Estevam Kerr

Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, 38400 Uberlândia, MG, Brasil

ABSTRACT

Several types of activities that are carried out by males of meliponids are described. Camargo (J. Kansas Ent. Soc. 55: 8-12, 1982) found that spermatozoa of Melipona quadrifasciata complete their migration from testis to seminal vesicles in 10 days. When 10 days old in M. quadrifasciata and 12 in compressipes, males leave the colony and collect nectar and pollen by themselves. After leaving the hive the males live another 15 days; therefore, each day after the 12th, that the male continues to work in the hive means 7% less chance to inseminate a queen, that is, 7% less in adaptive value. A similar result is expected if the male would engage in food collection for the family. Fitness for reproduction seems to be the main reason that completely worker males have not been found in social bees.

Keywords: Social hymenoptera.

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