> Queen, worker, and drone honey-bee (Apis mellifera) larvae of similar ages and genotypes were given, in their food, a constant dosage of water-suspended Bacillus
larvae spores, or water only, in 10 experimental replications. Pooled data from all replications showed that spore treatment resulted in about 93% mortality of female larvae reared as queens, 82% mortality of those reared as workers, and 68% mortality of the male (drone) larvae. 

> The results presented diverge from those presented by Woodrow (1942). Woodrow concluded, “Infection was produced in queen and drone larvae as readily as in worker larvae.” The food of drone larvae differs significantly from the food of the other two castes (see, e.g., Haydak, 1957). Such differences in diet may result in differences in resistance. Differing amounts of honey or pollen present in the food of the three castes may be the source of differential survival among castes. 

Comparative Mortality of Queen, Worker, and Drone Larvae
THOMAS E. RINDERER AND WALTER C. ROTHENBUHLER
JOURNAL OF INVERTEBRATE PATHOLOGY 13, 81-86 (1969)

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