What Determines Whether a Honeybee Becomes a Queen or a Worker

Question

What determines whether a honeybee becomes a queen or a worker?  
A) Hormonal secretions
B) Location in the hive
C) Pheromones
D) Diet
E) Genetic differences

Accepted Answer

The diet of a honeybee larva determines whether it will develop into a queen or a worker. Queen larvae are fed a special diet of royal jelly, while worker larvae are fed a combination of honey and pollen. This difference in diet triggers different developmental pathways and leads to the physical and behavioral differences between the two castes. Hormonal secretions, location in the hive, pheromones, and genetic differences can also play a role in honeybee caste determination, but diet is the primary factor.