Are worker bees haploid or diploid?

Worker bees are diploid, meaning they possess two sets of chromosomes—one set inherited from the mother (the queen) and one set from the father (the drone). This diploid nature allows them to have a full set of genetic material, which is essential for the various roles they play in the hive, such as foraging, nursing larvae, and maintaining the hive environment.

In a honey bee colony, the queen is the only fertile female, while worker bees, which are also female, develop from fertilized eggs and thus are diploid. Drones, the male bees, are haploid because they develop from unfertilized eggs, having only one set of chromosomes. The roles of workers and drones in the hive are defined by their genetic makeup, with the diploid workers contributing to the hive's labor while the haploid drones exist primarily for reproduction.

Understanding the genetic structure of honey bees is crucial for beekeeping practices, genetics studies, and the management of bee populations.