What happens to the host colony workers after a successful Bombus vestalis takeover?
Answer
They become sterile nannies for the parasitic brood
The host workers, having been tricked into accepting the parasitic queen, continue their typical duties of foraging and brood care. Because the parasitic offspring are produced solely as new queens and males, the workers are effectively rendered sterile in terms of contributing to their own lineage, serving instead as a workforce that raises the next generation of the parasite.
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