Previous research showed that the presence of older workers causes a delayed onset of foraging in younger individuals in honey bee colonies, but a specific worker inhibitory factor had not yet been identified. Here, we report on the identification of a substance produced by adult forager honey bees, ethyl oleate, that acts as a chemical inhibitory factor to delay age at onset of foraging. Ethyl oleate is synthesized de novo and is present in highest concentrations in the bee's crop. These results suggest that worker behavioral maturation is modulated via trophallaxis, a form of food exchange that also serves as a prominent communication channel in insect societies. Our findings provide critical validation for a model of self-organization explaining how bees are able to respond to fragmentary information with actions that are appropriate to the state of the whole colony.

No abstract

E-β-ocimene / ovary development / pheromone / brood / Apis mellifera Note scientifique sur une nouvelle phéromone modificatrice volatile qui inhibe le développement ovarien des abeilles, le E-β-ocimene. 564A. Maisonnasse et al. Eine wissenschaftliche Notiz über E-β-ocimene, ein neues flüchtiges Primer-Pheromon, das dieOvarentwicklung der Honigbienen hemmt.

Carotenoids are studied for their role as pigments and as precursors of aromas, vitamin A, abscisic acid, and antioxidant compounds in different plant tissues. A novel, rapid, and inexpensive analytical protocol is proposed to enable the simultaneous analysis of four major tomato carotenoids: lutein, lycopene, beta-carotene, and phytoene. Microextraction is performed in the presence of sodium chloride, n-hexane, dichloromethane, and ethyl acetate on fresh tomato powder that has been finely ground in liquid nitrogen. The carotenoids are extracted by agitation and centrifugation and then analyzed by HPLC using a diode array detector. The principal advantage of this extraction resides in the absence of an evaporation step, often necessary to assay tomato carotenoids other than lycopene. Whatever the carotenoid, tests for accuracy, reproducibility, and linearity were satisfactory and indicative of the method's reliability. The stability of extracts over time (several days at -20 degrees C) as the satisfactory sensitivity of the assay whatever the fruit ripeness had a part in the robustness of the method. Reliable, rapid, simple, and inexpensive, this extraction technique is appropriate for the routine analysis of carotenoids in small samples.

Intercropping of companion plants (CPs) that release distinct volatile compounds with horticultural crops has been proposed to improve pest management. Although CP extracts or essential oils have been reported to be efficient in disturbing the settling of insects such as aphids, the effect of using actual CPs remains relatively unknown. Our aim was to screen odorous CP species for their effect on the performance of green peach aphid,Myzus persicae Sulzer (Hemiptera: Aphididae), when released on adjacent pepper plants. Intercropping was tested in growth chambers using potted plants to avoid root interactions and homogenise the abiotic environment of CPs. Our results indicated that eight CP species—rosemary, African marigold, French marigold, geranium, lavender, basil, chives, and pot marigold—affected aphid performance by reducing the reproductive performance and/or settlement of females. Rosemary followed by African and French marigold was associated with the largest reduction in adult female and nymph number. Chemical analyses indicated that rosemary and French marigold emit specific volatiles. In contrast, four CP species (false yellowhead, thyme, savoury, and peppermint) were not associated with a significant change in aphid performance and emitted a lower diversity of volatiles. This screening of CPs under controlled conditions may be considered as a first step towards the identification of volatiles emitted by actual plants that can affect aphid performance and help the choice of CPs to optimise intercropping strategies