Queen and young larval pheromones impact nursing and reproductive physiology of honey bee (<i>Apis mellifera</i>) workers.

ABSTRACT: Several insect pheromones are multifunctional and have both releaser and primer effects. In honey bees (Apis mellifera), the queen mandibular pheromone (QMP) and e-beta-ocimene (eβ), emitted by young worker larvae, have such dual effects. There is increasing evidence that these multifunctional pheromones profoundly shape honey bee colony dynamics by influencing cooperative brood care, a fundamental aspect of eusocial insect behavior. Both QMP and eβ have been shown to affect worker physiology and behavior, but it has not yet been determined if these two key pheromones have interactive effects on hypopharyngeal gland (HPG) development, actively used in caring of larvae, and ovary activation, a component of worker reproductive physiology. Experimental results demonstrate that both QMP

SUBMITTER: Traynor KS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4220115 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature