Mating distance of the honeybee in north-western Alberta Canada

An apiary containing 10 drone honeybee colonies was established beyond the range of honeybee habitation at 762 m elevation in 1984 and at 914 min 1985, in north-western Alberta. Five nuclei, each with a virgin queen and workers but no drones were placed in the drone apiary and at 2-km intervals up to a distance of 20 km from the drone apiary in 1984 and 30 km in 1985. Some matings occurred at a distance of 20 km in 1984 and 12 km in 1985. Mating distance was significantly correlated with time (days) to the beginning of oviposition (r=+0.723 for 1984 and r= +0.830 for 1985). Mating distance and numbers of spermatozoa, and time to the beginning of oviposition and numbers of spermatozoa were significantly correlated in 1985 (r=  0.676 and r=-0.591, respectively) but not in 1984. In both years significant multiple correlations were found for distance, numbers of spermatozoa and time to beginning of oviposition (R = +0.747 for 1984 and +0.831 for 1985).