"Here we examine whether sexual transmission during multiple matings of queens is a possible way of virus infection ... Our results demonstrate that deformed wing virus infected drones are competitive to mate and able to transmit the virus along with semen, which occasionally leads to queen infections. Virus transmission to queens during mating may be common and can contribute noticeably to queen failure."
We could preach the virtues of safe honeybee sex, but since the recipient rips her partners' genitals out by the roots, I fear the caution would fall on deaf antennae.
And talk about morphometrics...
S
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