Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40725364›Full record

ArticleInsects2025

A Microsurgical Technique for Removing the Spermatheca of Bumblebee Females and Its Application.

Mingsheng Zhuang, Fan Yang, Zhongyan Xia, Yu Fei, Fugang Liu, Zhengyi Zhang, Zhihao Zhang, Jilian Li

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Insects, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Mingsheng ZhuangState Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apiculture Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.ORCID 0009-0007-3582-229X
Fan YangState Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apiculture Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.
Zhongyan XiaState Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apiculture Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.
Yu FeiState Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apiculture Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.
Fugang LiuState Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apiculture Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.
Zhengyi ZhangState Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apiculture Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.ORCID 0009-0005-9524-9697
Zhihao ZhangState Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apiculture Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.
Jilian LiState Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apiculture Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

To solve the technical bottleneck caused by the absence of a feasible method for removing the spermatheca in social insects, we developed a microsurgical technique specifically designed for bumblebee females. In this study, the invention of this technique is based on the anatomical characteristics of the sting chamber of bumblebees and uses a bespoke scalpel to precisely remove the spermatheca, which is small in size and deeply embedded within the body. During the removal operation, a small wound was observed and a small amount of hemolymph flowed out. The wound healed very quickly and the survival rate of treated individuals was high. The results showed that there was no significant impact on the critical life activities of queens and workers, including longevity, mating behavior, oviposition capacity, and overwintering survival rate after the spermatheca was removed using this technique. These findings further confirm the feasibility and applicability of the technique and provide strong technical support for exploring the evolutionary dynamics and potential function of the spermatheca in social insects.

Indexed as

a microsurgical techniqueBombus terrestrisbumblebeesocial insectspermatheca

Identifiers

PMID40725364
PMCPMC12295820

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.