Flight Activity and Natural Mortality of Normal and Mutant Drone Honeybees

Abstract

Drones of known age from a normal stock and from 21 mutant stocks were introduced into 2 colonies equipped with entrances connected by glass-covered runways to the exterior. All departures and arrivals during a 61-day period of observation were recorded from mid June to mid August. Normal drones had an inbound/outbound flight ratio of 0·962; for various eye-colour mutants, it varied from 0·271 (tan) to 0·983 (chartreuse-cherry). Normal drones made an average of 25 flights during their lifetime, which averaged 21·2 days. Drones that lived for 40 days, however, averaged a total of 62 flights. Mean lengths of life of drones carrying various mutations were in most cases significantly less than that for normal drones. The mean number of flights made in the lifetime of drones of various mutant stocks varied from 1·0 (eyeless) to 21·2 (golden body colour).