Final answer:
Male bees, or drones, are considered fatherless because they develop through parthenogenesis from unfertilized eggs, only carrying the genetic material of the mother, which is a reproductive strategy called haplodiploidy. Female bees, which are diploid, come from fertilized eggs and perform various tasks in the hive to ensure survival of the species.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that "male bees are fatherless" refers to the reproductive process known as parthenogenesis, which in honeybees leads to the development of male bees, or drones, from unfertilized eggs. This is a case of haplodiploidy where males are haploid and have only one set of chromosomes inherited from their mother, the queen bee. Female bees, on the other hand, are diploid and develop from fertilized eggs, possessing genetic material from both mother and father.
Honey bee colonies consist of a single fertile queen, hundreds of drones, and many thousands of sterile worker bees. The queen lays both fertilized and unfertilized eggs. The fertilized eggs may develop into either worker bees or a new queen if fed with royal jelly, while the unfertilized eggs develop into drones. Thus, drones are considered fatherless because they come from unfertilized eggs and do not have a father's genetic contribution.
In terms of the survival of the species, this reproductive strategy is advantageous because it ensures genetic diversity and the continual production of male bees for mating with a queen, while the sterile worker bees contribute to the colony's maintenance and growth, dedicating their energy to tasks such as foraging, hive construction, and care for the queen and offspring. This division of labor ensures the efficiency and survival of the hive.