Author: Lovleen Marwaha

The Drone Honey Bee

eBook: US $29 Special Offer (PDF + Printed Copy): US $50
Printed Copy: US $35
Library License: US $116
ISBN: 978-981-5179-31-6 (Print)
ISBN: 978-981-5179-30-9 (Online)
Year of Publication: 2023
DOI: 10.2174/97898151793091230101

Introduction

This reference book is the definitive guide to drone honey bees. The book equips readers with all the knowledge they need to know about drone bee biology and development, their role in the colony and improving the health of their colony. The book starts by providing a detailed review of the development of drone honey bees, their biology, morphometric features, interaction with the Queen and the haploid parthenogenesis. The book then delves into the pheromone profile and mating behavior of drones.

Further, the book describes artificial drone rearing techniques that facilitate healthy bee colony growth and increase apiculture productivity (including their genomic contributions).

Key features:

  • - 6 reader-friendly chapters that comprehensively present information about drone honey bees
  • - Coverage about drone bee biology, including their physical morphology, development and behavior (including queen interactions)
  • - Information about the role of drones in colonial organization and life-cycle events
  • - Practical information that helps to improve bee colony health for research and apiculture

The book is an essential primary reference on drone honey bees for biology and entomology students, academicians and researchers at all educational levels. Apiculturists, bee keeping enthusiasts, and general readers interested in honey bees can also benefit from the breadth of information presented.

Audience: Apiculturists, bee keepers, biologists, zoologists, entomologists, bee enthusiasts and general readers interested in the biology of bees.

Preface

‘The Drone Honey Bee’ has been written especially for B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D. students, highlighting various aspects of the drone honey bee’s life cycle. Books on honey bees are easily available in the market which gives immense knowledge about colony organization, different castes of the colony, communication in the colony, the productivity of the colony, genomics, proteomics, and others. But, drone honey bee is very less explored in comparison to other castes, being not directly involved in colony productivity and hence in economic benefits. However, drones can be used in the bee quality improvement of the colony. Drones can be reared artificially in the colony or outside the colony up to certain stages that can be larval, pupal or adult. The drone pupae are good protein supplements for human consumption. The current book elucidates the available details of the specific caste of honey bees.

The present book elaborates on general introduction, morphology, development, pheromonal profile, mating, reproduction, artificial drone development and genomic contribution of drones in colony improvement. The drone honey bee provides patrilineal genomic contributions to the honey bee colony that influence colony productivity, colonial behavior, adaptability, and others. Although the prevalence of drones is seasonal and as per the availability of food resources, the specific caste is an integral part of the colony with a chief role in mating and thermal regulation. The current book highlights information about drone honey bees as per the availability of literature.

Regards,

Lovleen Marwaha
Department of Zoology
School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University
Punjab,
India