Bees Wage Surprisingly Violent Wars—And Females Do the Fighting

Scientists are puzzled as to why bees fight when the cost to both sides is so steep.
When two species of Australia's stingless bees go to battle, an extraordinary amount of carnage ensues, according to a new study.

During this extreme warfare, thousands of worker bees from both sides perish, and young from the losing side are dragged out of the nest to die—a previously unseen behavior described in the December issue of the American Naturalist.

These battles decimate the ranks of worker bees, the sterile females that hives rely on to collect nectar and farmers use to pollinate their crops. (Read more about pollinators in National Geographic magazine.)

What's more, they're the only ones waging war—male drones sit on the sidelines. The battles also leave entire colonies vulnerable to parasites and disease as they settle into their newly conquered nest.


http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/11/141110-bees-warfare-hives-australia-insects-animals-science/


Found this really interesting.

Bees are a colony creature. They have evolved into highly specific roles for the individual. First, males have but one feature, to allow for sexual reproduction--divide the gene pool and recombine, creating greater variety. Moreover, as colony creatures, the economics of life are much different (and narrower). Every embryo left alive, is either taking up resources, or passing on genes of another sort.

To that extent I understand. However, I really want to hear about what Beekeeper has to say about this. Not only is this his specialty, but christ they are Australian.

I would be interested too.

Catch you later Quill

See ya...have a good day didge.

     THE male (drone) bees are nature's insect world equivalent to mankind's politicians, bankers and CEOs...

LAZING around all day, letting others feed and pamper them, existing only to reproduce their own bloodlines..
THEIR mutual mottoes should be "Live fast, Grow fat, Die young !"