Age-Survival Curves for Workers of Two Eusocial Bees (Apis MelliferaandPlebeia Droryana) in a Subtropical Climate, with Notes on Worker Polyethism inP. Droryana

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Under the subtropical climate of Ribeiräo Prêto, Brazil, the relationships between age and survival in worker bees were studied with Apis mellifera and a stingless bee (Plebeia droryana), using 3 colonies of each. In contrast to colonies in the temperate region, winter workers of A. mellifera did not show a prolongation of life span. A marked prolongation was observed in workers of two broodless colonies of P. droryana, one queenless and the other not, compared with a normal brood-rearing colony. In the normal colony, workers changed activities in relation to age as they do in A. mellifera, but their mean life span was much longer.