REPRODUCTION IN BEES 



383 



organs consist of a pair of testes, each furnished with a 

 narrow vas deferens, expanding at its distal end into a 

 seminal vesicle. The seminal vesicles open into the ejacu- 

 latory duct, and at their junction a large paired mucus gland 

 opens. When maturity is reached, the testes diminish in 

 size, while the spermatozoa accumulate in the terminal 

 expanded part of the ejaculatory duct, and there become 

 aggregated into a compact spermatophore. With the ter- 



FiG. 217. — Hive-bees and the cells in which they develop. 



D., Drone cells ; W., worker cells ; Q., queen cell, open and closed ; 

 d., drone ; w., worker ; q., queen. 



minal portion of the male duct copulatory organs are 

 associated. 



Mating takes place only once in the life of the queen, 

 and is followed by the death of the drone. 



In the queen the large ovaries occupy considerable space in the 

 abdominal region. As usual, each consists of numerous (100-150) 

 ovarian tubes, containing ova in various stages of maturity. The 

 ovarian tubes open into the right and left oviducts, which again unite 

 to form the common oviduct. With the anterior portion of the common 



