Question

Describe haplodiploid sex determination system in honey bees.

Answer 1

The mechanism of sex determination in honeybees is haplodiploidy. In honeybees, three types of individuals are seen:

(a) Diploid queen (2n = 32): Fully functional females developed from fertilised eggs.

(b) Diploid workers (2n = 32): Underdeveloped or non-functional female developed from fertilised eggs.

(c) Haploid males or drones (n = 16): Functional males which are developed parthenogenetically from haploid eggs. These are short lived and normally die after fertilisation.