Apidologie 29 (1998) 113-126
DOI: 10.1051/apido:19980107

Protein trophallaxis and the regulation of pollen foraging by honey bees (Apis mellifera L.)

Scott Camazine^a, Karl Crailsheim^b, Norbert Hrassnigg^b, Gene E. Robinson^c, Bernhard Leonhard^b and Helga Kropiunigg<sup>b

a</sup>  Department of Entomology, Penn State University, 501 ASI Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA
^b  Institut für Zoologie an der Karl-Franzens-Universität, Universitätsplatz 2, A-8010 Graz, Austria
^c  Department of Entomology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA

Abstract - Pollen foragers quickly sense increases in colony pollen stores, and modify their foraging activity appropriately. In association with these changes in foraging behavior, nurse bees transfer a larger portion of newly synthesized ¹⁴C-phenylalanine-labeled protein to the foragers. These findings support the hypothesis that trophallactic interactions between nurse bees and pollen foragers may serve as a cue apprising pollen foragers of the colony's need for pollen. © Inra/DIB/AGIB/Elsevier, Paris

Key words: pollen forager / protein trophallaxis / nurse bee