--- "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Do you believe 'smaller' drones have 'smaller' semen
> genetically?
>


No, I am basing my statment on a study done by:
JOSEPH R. COELHO and ORLEY R. TAYLOR, Jr.
"Size-related Mating Preferences in Honey Bee Drones."

In the discussion is written.

"It is possible that differential mechanical and
tactile cues resulted in assortative mating by drones.
The drone's first two pairs of legs grasp the model
abdomen dorsally, while the last pair of legs grasp it
laterally and ventrally (Gary and Marston, 1971).
Small drones may have been unable to grasp the larger
OD models properly in order to copulate successfully,
or they may not have received the proper tactile
stimuli for copulation to be elicited. The same might
be said of large drones mating with small OD models.
Size matching could occur through cues for mounting
position. If drones use alignment cues from the
anterior portion of the queen, small drones could be
too far forward on the queen abdomen and the large
drones too far back for copulation to be completed."

"No matter what proximate factors account for
assortative mating by drones, this mating pattern
could have powerful ecological and evolutionary
consequences. A limited degree of positive assortative
mating has been observed between subspecies of Apis
mellifera (Kerr and Bueno, 1970; Koeniger et al.,
1989). Differences in the sizes of subspecies are well
documented (Daly and Balling, 1978; Rinderer et al.,
1985; Ruttner, 1987). It is conceivable that mating
behavior of drones based on size is partly responsible
for assortative mating and maintenance of races of
honey bees."



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