Frequencies of Diploid Males in Natural Populations of Three North American Bumble Bee (Bombus) Species (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Abstract

Abstract We used four DNA microsatellite markers and detected diploid males in two out of three species of North American bumble bees from Alberta, Canada. The estimated average proportion of diploid males, , in Bombus occidentalis Greene and Bombus perplexus Cresson was ≈ 3% (n = 112) and 6% (n = 104), respectively. However, there was no significant difference between these estimates. Because no diploid males were detected in the sample (n = 81) of Bombus terricola Kirby, no estimate of could be made directly, but the upper limit to that would be found in a sample of this size, was ≈ 4%. The average over the three species was ≈ 4%. This is the first report of diploid males in natural populations of North American bumble bees.