Honey Bee Nest Thermoregulation: Diversity Promotes Stability

Abstract

A honey bee colony is characterized by high genetic diversity among its workers, generated by high levels of multiple mating by its queen. Few clear benefits of this genetic diversity are known. Here we show that brood nest temperatures in genetically diverse colonies (i.e., those sired by several males) tend to be more stable than in genetically uniform ones (i.e., those sired by one male). One reason this increased stability arises is because genetically determined diversity in workers' temperature response thresholds modulates the hive-ventilating behavior of individual workers, preventing excessive colony-level responses to temperature fluctuations.

Recruitment-dance signals draw larger audiences when honey bee colonies have multiple patrilines

“…That such strong differences were found between colony types with a modest sample size (a necessary trade of colony number for detailed behavioural observations) is compelling evidence that these differences are real. Furthermore, it reinforces the trend that single-patriline honey bee colonies consistently underperform relative to multiple-patriline colonies (Fuchs and Schade, 1994;Jones et al, 2004;Seeley, 2007, 2010;Mattila et al, 2008;Oldroyd et al, 1992), rather than showing similar mean performance with a relative increase in variation around that mean.…”

“…Honey bee queens who mate multiply minimize the fitness load incurred by colonies as a result of the production of sterile diploid males (Page, 1980;Shaskolsky, 1976;Tarpy and Page, 2002) and produce work forces with an enhanced ability to overcome the effects of parasites and pathogens (Baer and Schmid-Hempel, 2001;Palmer and Oldroyd, 2003;Seeley and Tarpy, 2007;Sherman et al, 1988;Tarpy and Seeley, 2006). Importantly, intracolonial genetic diversity has been linked to an increase in colony-level productivity and long-term fitness (Fuchs and Schade, 1994;Jones et al, 2004;Oldroyd et al, 1992;Mattila and Seeley, 2007). Similar increases in colony growth and foraging productivity have been found in harvester ants (Cole and Wiernasz, 1999;Wiernasz et al, 2004Wiernasz et al, , 2008 and wasps (Goodisman et al, 2007) as mate number per queen rises.…”

The ejaculatory biology of leafcutter ants

“…Polyandry increases genetic variation among the worker offspring, which in turn enhances a colony's collective performance in division of labor or disease resistance Cole and Wiernasz, 1999;Hughes et al, 2003;Jaffé et al, 2007;Jones et al, 2004;Mattila and Seeley, 2007;Oldroyd and Fewell, 2007;Smith et al, 2008). Such genetic diversity benefits are maximized by sperm mixing in the queen spermatheca and random sperm use, consistent with empirical data (Brodschneider et al, 2012;Franck et al, 1999;Holman et al, 2011;Stürup et al, 2014).…”

Weight of evidence evaluation of a network of adverse outcome pathways linking activation of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in honey bees to colony death

“…To endure both cold and warm environments, the hive practices social homeostasis. A critical mass of bees in the colony, adequate pollen storage, and behavioral interactions ensure survival of the hive during varying weather conditions by allowing for hive thermoregulation (Jones et al, 2004).…”