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Role of hydrocarbons in egg recognition in the honeybee
Author(s) -
Martin Stephen J.,
Jones Graeme R.,
Châline Nicolas,
Ratnieks Francis L. W.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
physiological entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1365-3032
pISSN - 0307-6962
DOI - 10.1111/j.0307-6962.2004.00404.x
Subject(s) - biology , bioassay , hydrocarbon , zoology , queen (butterfly) , ecology , hymenoptera , chemistry , organic chemistry
. Despite worker‐laid and queen‐laid honeybee eggs having significantly different hydrocarbon profiles, bioassays and chemical supplementation studies show that changing the hydrocarbon profile does not affect egg identity. Furthermore, full‐sized eggs that are tested just before being laid or just after being laid have similar hydrocarbon patterns but are treated differently in egg‐discrimination bioassays with only the laid eggs surviving. This suggests that hydrocarbons play no role in the egg‐recognition system in honeybees.