JOURNAL OF APICULTURAL RESEARCH, cilt.47, sa.2, ss.118-125, 2008 (SCI-Expanded)
Fifty queens weighed at emergence were allocated into three groups as: light (under 190 mg); moderate (between 190-200 mg); heavy (over 200 mg), and introduced into Kirchainer mating nuclei. The queens were then weighed at ages ranging from three to 40 days and the intervals between emergence, mating and onset of oviposition were determined. The weight of ovaries, size of spermathecae, and number of spermatozoa in the spermathecae were also measured by dissecting queens one month after they started oviposition.