>At that point it seems to me that it is essentially a queen mating with a
queen. Doesn't this mean that all bets are off and normal rules apply?
After all, that is a diploid-diploid situation. Am I just being dumb?
No--you are finally bringing this discussion to the point! The drone is
simply a vehicle to move the queen's sperm, but a vehicle that can only
deliver if the genetic instructions of that particular sperm allow an
individual to grow, avoid disease due to parasites, and outcompete other
sperms in the air. A marvelous system!
--
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com
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