Monday, August 3, 2026
Science

This single mother must learn quickly—or her colony won't survive

Being a single mother of 20 is no joke, especially if the survival of a whole species depends on it. A queen bumblebee faces this very challenge when she lays her first eggs in the spring: She is utterly alone, with no worker bees to help.

This single mother must learn quickly—or her colony won't survive
Image: Phys.org
Being a single mother of 20 is no joke, especially if the survival of a whole species depends on it. A queen bumblebee faces this very challenge when she lays her first eggs in the spring: She is utterly alone, with no worker bees to help.

Originally published at Phys.org

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