Bumblebees and Worker Policing

Qn. What was done well 

Solution 

The hypothesis was clear which was “The occurrence of worker policing in "primitively" eusocial species with low mating frequencies lacks relatedness differences conducive to policing." The methodological approach used in measurement determination of the egg-laying, the eating rate and the larval frequency was appropriately made. Also, the methodological approach on the decision of the egg’s viability was made well. The statistical analysis using R was efficient in the study of the different datasets presented. 

Qn. What did not make sense 

Solution 

The methodological approach on how the selection of the worker and the queen laid eggs did not make sense. The working groups and the other queens were placed in some box and studied. The use of the methodology about the "cross-fostering design." Another way of handling the approach could be designed to collect the relevant data. 

Qn. Additional questions would be like, “How does the queen bees’ presence influence the egg laying process by the working group?” Secondly, the other question would be, “What factors are responsible for the working policy?” The other question would be, "What other methodological approaches would be effective for the research study?" Another research question would be, “What are the measures taken to ensure that the accurate number of the egg cells are reproduced?" 

Qn. Additional studies could be completed 

Solution 

Another research that may be done would be how the working groups would be able to reduce the conflicts with the queen bees. Also, a study on the levels of replacement of the queen laid and working laid eggs could be done. Nonetheless, a survey of the costs of the process of reproduction and the trade-off levels could be done for the eusocial insects. Also, a study on the fate of the eggs laid could be done and the life history of the bees’ colony could be established. 

Reference 

Zanette, L. R., Miller, S. D., Faria, C. M., Almond, E. J., Huggins, T. J., Jordan, W. C., & Bourke, A. F. (2012). Reproductive conflict in bumblebees and the evolution of worker policing. Evolution: International Journal of Organic Evolution, 66(12), 3765-3777.