The Influence of Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera) Drone Age on Volume of Semen and Viability of Spermatozoa

A comparison was done of the volume of semen and viability of spermatozoa collected from drones at ages 15, 20, 25 and 30 days. The drones originated from different queens and were reared in different environments. Semen volume was determined by measuring the filled length of a capillary. Percentages of live and dead spermatozoa were determined by SYBR-14/propidium iodide fluorescence staining and flow cytometry. The volume of semen collected from drones ranged from 0.5 to 1.3 μL. The mean volume of semen significantly decreased with drone age. Sperm viability increased significantly with drone age.