Colony level and within colony level selection in honeybees

Abstract

Although honeybee workers are usually infertile, in queenless colonies some workers can develop ovaries and produce offspring. Therefore the classical Darwinian fitness of workers is not zero. Experimental studies in the Cape honey bee (Apis mellifera capensis) reveal a huge genetic variation for individual fitness of workers. The present study with a one locus, two allele model for reproductive dominance of workers shows that a balanced system between colony level and individual within colony selection plausibly explains the phenomenon of a high genetic variance of worker fitness. In particular, a frequent occurrence of queenless colonies in the population leads to stable polymorphic equilibria. Also the multiple mating system of the honey bee queen supports the propagation of alleles causing reproductive dominance of workers.