Friday, April 14, 2017

Scientists Find Genes That Let These Bees Reproduce Without Males


Female Cape honeybees that live in the Fynbos ecoregion of South Africa have a unique behavior than your ordinary honeybee. Scientists have discovered that these female Cape honeybees are capable of reproducing asexually, meaning they do not need a male to reproduce. These female workers would lay their own eggs in their home colony once their queen dies. They can also invade other colonies and lay their eggs without being detected from the other bees. Researchers show that when comparing the genome of a Cape honeybee to a regular honeybee there were some areas that were unique, which explains the difference in reproduction. Furthermore, they explained that this behavior is a evolutionary advantage for the survival of their specie but can be a threat as well.

Read More Here
Tech Times Here


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