Effect of honey bee queen mating condition on worker ovary activation

摘要: The presence of the honey bee queen reduces worker ovary activation. When is healthy and fecund, this interpreted as an adaptive response workers can gain fitness from helping raise additional offspring, their sisters. However, when absent, activate ovaries lay unfertilized eggs that become males. Queen pheromones are recognised a factor affecting Recent work has shown mandibular pheromone composition changes with mating condition show different behavioural responses to extracts these queens. Here, we tested whether reared in colonies queens varied level We also examined chemical glands determine if blend among found activated were unmated had lower activation raised mated queens, suggesting detect respond adaptively differing status. Moreover, variation gland’s correlated levels Although correlative, evidence suggests may act signal for workers, which they alter