Hi Aaron and All:
 
>Speculation is there is some sort of mechanism that is pressed by the
>tighter worker cell that triggers the release of sperm which does not
>get pressed when the queen lays in a larger drone cell.  This is
>speculation and to my knowledge is not proven in a lab, but accounts for
>worker cells always containing fertilized eggs whereas drone cells
>contain unfertilized eggs.  Perhaps the queen has actual control over
>the release of sperm and knows when to fertilize and when to not.
>Perhaps it is mechanical as speculated.  Truth be told, no one knows for
>sure.
 
That is an interesting speculation.  But if control over fertiliziation was
not under the queen's control, then one would expect her prelaying behaviour
to be just a quick inspection of the cell to determine if it had been
already layed in.  But her inspection has TWO facets.  She checks for eggs,
but she also checks the size of the cell with her mandibles.  What would the
purpose of this inspection be if she did not have control over fertilization?
 
Regards, Stan   thinking...  if I love to watch queens fertilizing their
eggs does that make me a voyeur?