More on this topic: Tom Seeley states on his web site: The curious promiscuity of queen bees, which mate with and utilize the sperm of a dozen or more males, has long been a mystery. With my colleagues Paul Sherman and Kern Reeve, I have suggested that this polyandry is advantageous for it endows a queen with a great deal of genetic variability among her workers, and this could prove vital in resisting one of the many parasite-based diseases to which honey bee colonies are susceptible. *This hypothesis remains to be tested.* http://www.nbb.cornell.edu/neurobio/department/faculty/seeley/seeley.html :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::