Effects of sperm on female longevity in the bumble-bee Bombus terrestris L.

The male ejaculate, particularly the accessory gland products, has been shown to affect female survival (as is best understood in Drosophila melanogaster). So far, these findings have primarily been discussed in the context of a sexual conflict and multiple mating. Here, we show that in the bumble-bee Bombus terrestris, male genotype influences female longevity even though B. terrestris generally is a singly mated species and male and female interests may thus be more convergent. In addition, the effect could not be owing to accessory gland products, as we artificially inseminated the queens with the content of the accessory testes only.