The Wall Structure of the Honey Bee1 Spermatheca with Comments about Its Function2

The spermathecal wall of the queen honey bee, Apis mellifera L., is composed of a single layer of columnar epithelium lined internally with a thick mucinous cuticle and covered with an extensive tracheal network. Height of the epithelial cells increases with age. Mitoses are not found in the epithelial membrane. Respiratory connections between the external tracheae and the spermathecal lumen are not detected either by light microscopy or with the scanning electron microscope. The evidence suggests that the spermatheca is an isolating structure in which spermatozoa can be preserved for as long as the integrity of its wall is maintained.