Ovarian regulation of foraging division of labour in Africanized backcross and pollen-hoarding honeybees

► Worker honeybee ovary size is related to protein/carbohydrate foraging bias. ► Previous studies suggest the ovary regulates foraging bias. ► Gene associations could also explain the observed ovary-foraging relationship. ► A backcross mating scheme was used to break potential gene associations. ► The backcross workers still demonstrated an ovary-foraging bias relationship.