The CBC Radio program As It Happens posted a story on 22 October 2007 about the value to a colony of queen bees mating with multiple drones — it’s all about genetic diversity.

This story gives new meaning to the expression “busy as a bee.” New research shows that queen bees ensure they remain in charge of the hive by sleeping with as many male bees as possible. Well, it worked for Catherine the Great!

2007-10-22 As It Happens (MP3 audio fle)

In this entertaining audio podcast, Christina Grozinger, Assistant Professor of Entomology at North Carolina State University, tells of studying the differences in pheremones of queens who mated with many males, as opposed to those who mated with only one. (There seems to be a higher quality of pheremones in the multiple-mated queens, so the worker bees are more attracted to a multiple-mated queen and may be less likely to try to replace her.) Along the way, she gives a basic “birds and bees” chat explaining how honeybees mate and the role of the queen bee within the colony.

Research shows that when worker bees are half-sisters, rather than sisters, the colony is healthier. If the bees are challenged with a disease, for example, they’re more likely to be able to fight off that disease if the queen bee has mated with many different males and therefore there is more genetic diversity in the colony.

See also:

CBC Podcasts - Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)
Alternate sources: 2007-10-22 As It Happens CBC media feed / direct mp3 file

Christina M. Grozinger: Research Interests