Hello dear native speakers

Would you please help me with this question?
Which one is correct?

1) The male honeybees generally do not work, but receive food from the workers until it is time for them to mate.
2) The male honeybees generally do not work, then when it is time for them to mate, they receive food from the workers.

This is in fact a question asked in a nationwide exam in my country years ago.
Sentence 1 was picked as the correct answer. I want to know what's wrong with the second one?

Thanks in advance

Question

Hello dear native speakers

Would you please help me with this question?
Which one is correct?

1) The male honeybees generally do not work, but receive food from the workers until it is time for them to mate. 
2) The male honeybees generally do not work, then when it is time for them to mate, they receive food from the workers.

This is in fact a question asked in a nationwide exam in my country years ago.
Sentence 1 was picked as the correct answer. I want to know what's wrong with the second one?

Thanks in advance

Answer

Hi, Saeiiiid!

"Then" expresses consequence, but the act of receiving food from the workers is not the consequence of not working.
"But" is an adversative conjunction. In spite of the fact that the males don't work (and much of the work of a bee consists in collecting nectar/food), they receive the food from the workers.

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