Differences in drone cappings ofApiscerana andApis nigrocincta

SUMMARYThe nature of the drone cell caps of Apis cerana and A. nigrocincta were examined in South and Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. All drone cells of A. cerana were capped with a hard conical cocoon structure; recently sealed cells also had an external wax capping. The hardened cocoon cap above drone pupae had a central pore. Drone cell caps of A. nigrocincta were sealed with a fragile thin wax capping. The hardened capping with pore typical of A. cerana was always absent from drone cappings of A. nigrocincta, regardless of the age of the drone brood. The significance of this finding is briefly discussed.