Post-Reproductive Lifespan in Honey Bee Workers with Varying Life Expectancies
This study specifically examines the post-reproductive lifespan and ovarian activation in honeybee workers (<i>Apis mellifera</i>) with differing life expectancies. Drawing on the “grandmother hypothesis”, which postulates that older females enhance the survival and reproductive success...
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/10/1402 |
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| author | Karolina Kuszewska |
| author_facet | Karolina Kuszewska |
| author_sort | Karolina Kuszewska |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study specifically examines the post-reproductive lifespan and ovarian activation in honeybee workers (<i>Apis mellifera</i>) with differing life expectancies. Drawing on the “grandmother hypothesis”, which postulates that older females enhance the survival and reproductive success of their descendants, we aimed to determine if similar patterns exist in eusocial insects. We conducted an experiment with newly emerged honeybee workers, dividing them into two groups: an untreated control group and an injured group with shortened lifespans due to thorax puncturing. The workers were monitored in an experimental apiary, and observations regarding ovarian development and hypopharyngeal gland size were recorded at various age intervals. Our results demonstrated a significant difference in lifespan between the control and injured bees, with injured individuals living notably shorter lives. The size of the hypopharyngeal gland, crucial for brood food production, varied significantly with respect to age and treatment, suggesting that physical injuries adversely affected physiological development. More intriguingly, our findings indicated that older honeybee workers displayed reduced ovarian activation, implying a potential reproductive cessation. This phenomenon can be interpreted as a form of menopause, which represents a strategic shift in energy investment from personal reproduction toward contributing to the colony as older individuals age. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f71d0a7b7b3948be879ff007ab6e1dd6 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj-art-f71d0a7b7b3948be879ff007ab6e1dd62025-08-20T01:56:57ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-05-011510140210.3390/ani15101402Post-Reproductive Lifespan in Honey Bee Workers with Varying Life ExpectanciesKarolina Kuszewska0Department of Zoology and Animal Welfare, Faculty of Animal Science, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Al. Mickiewicza 21, 31-120 Krakow, PolandThis study specifically examines the post-reproductive lifespan and ovarian activation in honeybee workers (<i>Apis mellifera</i>) with differing life expectancies. Drawing on the “grandmother hypothesis”, which postulates that older females enhance the survival and reproductive success of their descendants, we aimed to determine if similar patterns exist in eusocial insects. We conducted an experiment with newly emerged honeybee workers, dividing them into two groups: an untreated control group and an injured group with shortened lifespans due to thorax puncturing. The workers were monitored in an experimental apiary, and observations regarding ovarian development and hypopharyngeal gland size were recorded at various age intervals. Our results demonstrated a significant difference in lifespan between the control and injured bees, with injured individuals living notably shorter lives. The size of the hypopharyngeal gland, crucial for brood food production, varied significantly with respect to age and treatment, suggesting that physical injuries adversely affected physiological development. More intriguingly, our findings indicated that older honeybee workers displayed reduced ovarian activation, implying a potential reproductive cessation. This phenomenon can be interpreted as a form of menopause, which represents a strategic shift in energy investment from personal reproduction toward contributing to the colony as older individuals age.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/10/1402<i>Apis mellifera</i>division of labormenopausepost-reproductive lifespansocial insectgrandmother hypothesis |
| spellingShingle | Karolina Kuszewska Post-Reproductive Lifespan in Honey Bee Workers with Varying Life Expectancies Animals <i>Apis mellifera</i> division of labor menopause post-reproductive lifespan social insect grandmother hypothesis |
| title | Post-Reproductive Lifespan in Honey Bee Workers with Varying Life Expectancies |
| title_full | Post-Reproductive Lifespan in Honey Bee Workers with Varying Life Expectancies |
| title_fullStr | Post-Reproductive Lifespan in Honey Bee Workers with Varying Life Expectancies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Post-Reproductive Lifespan in Honey Bee Workers with Varying Life Expectancies |
| title_short | Post-Reproductive Lifespan in Honey Bee Workers with Varying Life Expectancies |
| title_sort | post reproductive lifespan in honey bee workers with varying life expectancies |
| topic | <i>Apis mellifera</i> division of labor menopause post-reproductive lifespan social insect grandmother hypothesis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/10/1402 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT karolinakuszewska postreproductivelifespaninhoneybeeworkerswithvaryinglifeexpectancies |