Free Access
| Issue |
Apidologie
Volume 31, Number 3, May-june 2000
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | 357 - 365 | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/apido:2000127 | |
DOI: 10.1051/apido:2000127
Apidologie 31 (2000) 357-365
The role of floral oils in the nestmate recognition system of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.)
Stephen G. Downs - Francis L.W. Ratnieks - Sarah L. Jefferies - Helen E. Rigby
Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
(
Abstract:
Nestmate recognition is essential for maintaining colony integrity in social insects. To discriminate
between nestmates and non-nestmates, social insects use self-produced and environmentally-acquired
recognition cues. In honey bees, both types of recognition cues have been implicated. We investigated the
effect that floral oils (anethole, citronellal, limonene and linalool) have on the probability of
nestmates and non-nestmates being accepted by guard bees at nest entrances. Floral oils did not affect the
probability of workers, either nestmates or non-nestmates, being accepted by guards. However, the presence
of floral oils did increase the time taken for a guard to reject an introduced bee. These data show that
guards are sensitive to floral oils, but use other recognition cues when assessing colony affiliation.
Keywords:
honey bee / nestmate recognition / guard bee / environmental cue / floral oil
Correspondence and reprints: Stephen G. Downs
E-mail: bop97sgd@sheffield.ac.uk
Copyright INRA/DIB/AGIB/EDP Sciences