How does fertilization affect the type of bee that is produced?

In bee reproduction, fertilization plays a crucial role in determining the type of bee that is produced. When an egg is fertilized by a male drone, it develops into a diploid organism, which, in the case of honeybees, typically results in the formation of a worker bee. Worker bees are female and are responsible for various tasks within the hive, including foraging, nursing the brood, and maintaining the hive.

In contrast, unfertilized eggs develop into haploid organisms, which become drones—these are the male bees whose primary role is to mate with a queen. Queens also arise from fertilized eggs, but through a specific process involving the nurturing of the larvae with royal jelly, which causes certain fertilized eggs to develop into queens rather than workers.

Thus, the connection between fertilization and the development of worker bees is fundamental to the structure of bee society, with fertilized eggs leading to the production of female worker bees, which are vital for the colony's survival and efficiency.