Abstract
The male honey bees, the reproductive caste of the colony, develop through
haploid/diploid parthenogenesis. The drones develop from haploid/ diploid unfertilized
eggs produced by parthenogenesis or from diploid fertilized eggs having identical sex
alleles, formed after sexual reproduction, with more probability when the queen honey
bee mates with the drones of the same hives. Therefore, two types of drone honey bees,
based on ploidy, are common in colonies, e.g. haploid or/and diploid. The number of
drone honey bees staying in the colony varies according to protein resources and the
strength of the worker honey bees. Generally, the haploid drone eggs/larvae laid by
workers are removed by the nurse bee due to cannibalism. The above-mentioned
eggs/larvae are marked with certain specific hormones that act as markers for
cannabalic removal of the same.
Further, the development of drones is influenced by colony temperature; hence overall
development can be completed within 24-25 days. The purpose of drone life is to
produce sperm and mate with the queen. The queen attracts the drone's honey bees
toward herself with pheromones 9-ODA, 9-HDA and 10 HDA. The drone number and
fertility depend upon the colony's environmental conditions, genomic possession and
available food in the colony. The specific chapter provides deep insight into the
development of drones, the biology of drones, the reproductive system, and the mating
behaviour of particular castes. Subsequent chapters highlight morphometric
characteristics of drones, development, mating, reproduction and artificial drone
production.