A scientific note on E-β-ocimene, a new volatile primer pheromone that inhibits worker ovary development in honey bees

Maisonnasse, Alban; Lenoir, Jean-Christophe; Costagliola, Guy; Beslay, Dominique; Choteau, Fanny; Crauser, Didier; Bécard, Jean‐Marc; Plettner, Erika; Conte, Yves Le

doi:10.1051/apido/2009024

Cited by 61 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…The reproduction of normal workers in queenless colonies is not surprising; it is well known that up to 30% of workers can activate their ovaries and lay unfertilized, male-destined eggs (Ratnieks 1993). The activation of worker ovarioles in an orphaned nest is determined by declines in the levels of queen and brood pheromones (Hoover et al 2003;Maisonnasse et al 2009). The similar number of workers' sons observed between queenright subunits with rebel workers and queenless subunits with normal workers suggests that rebel workers have a higher reproductive capacity than do normal workers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproduction of rebel workers in honeybee (Apis mellifera) colonies

2017

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-The honeybee is one of several eusocial species in which the queen is typically the only reproductive member of the colony; worker reproduction is mostly restricted to queenless colonies. Because workers cannot mate, they lay unfertilized eggs, which develop into males. A recent study showed that in queenless colonies, which arise after swarming, worker larvae develop into rebel workers that have greater reproductive potential than do workers reared in queenright colonies, as measured by the number of ovarioles and degree of ovary activation. However, there was no evidence that rebels had an opportunity to produce male offspring. Here, we show for the first time that rebel workers not only activate their ovaries but also produce significantly more male offspring in queenright colonies than do normal workers. Moreover, our results show that the level of rebel reproduction in queenright colonies is similar to the reproduction of normal workers in queenless colonies. This finding suggests that the ultimate factor favouring the evolution of the rebel strategy is the decrease in relatedness between the old-generation workers and the new queen's offspring that occurs after queen exchange at swarming.Apis mellifera / rebel workers / worker reproduction / kin selection

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproduction of rebel workers in honeybee (Apis mellifera) colonies

2017

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“…BP and EBO are chemically distinct larval pheromones, but they can induce similar physiological and behavioral changes in nurse bees. For instance, Maisonnasse et al (2009Maisonnasse et al ( , 2010 showed that EBO partially suppresses worker ovary development and accelerates the behavioral transition from nursing to foraging, which is similar to the long-term physiological effects of low doses of BP. This transition is delayed in the presence of high doses of BP, however.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 85%

“…Honey bee larvae also emit (E )-β-ocimene (EBO), a volatile monoterpene produced primarily by young larvae in their first through third instar (Maisonnasse et al 2009(Maisonnasse et al , 2010. Like other volatile pheromones, EBO can dissipate quickly.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the role of β-ocimene in regulating foraging behavior of the honey bee, Apis mellifera

Mueller

Rangel

2015

Apidologie

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-The larval pheromone (E )-β-ocimene (EBO) inhibits worker ovary development and accelerates the behavioral transition from nursing to foraging in the honey bee, Apis mellifera . Because EBO diffuses throughout the hive, it has been hypothesized that honey bee workers can use it to indirectly assess brood abundance. Here, we evaluate this hypothesis by testing whether EBO plays a role in the regulation of worker foraging activity. We exposed paired colonies to a pulse of either synthetic β-ocimene or paraffin oil control and recorded the subsequent number of pollen and non-pollen foragers returning to the colony. Exposure to synthetic β-ocimene moderately but significantly increased overall foraging activity, but not pollen foraging. For pollen foraging, the effect of pheromone treatment was the greatest directly after pheromone exposure.Apis mellifera / β-ocimene / honey bee foraging / synthetic pheromone / volatility

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“…All of the ten esters (boiling point around 200 °C) generally known as brood pheromone are non-volatile and their movement is likely facilitated by worker to worker contact (Pankiw, 2004a;Maisonnasse et al, 2010). Very recently, a new highly volatile molecule, E-β-ocimene, has been identified in larvae (Maisonnasse et al, 2009). This brood pheromone component also acts as a primer pheromone with two actions on worker bee physiology: inhibition of worker ovaries (Maisonnasse et al, 2009) and acceleration of worker bee behavioural maturation (Maisonnasse et al, 2010).…”

Section: Interactions Between Adults and Broodmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Very recently, a new highly volatile molecule, E-β-ocimene, has been identified in larvae (Maisonnasse et al, 2009). This brood pheromone component also acts as a primer pheromone with two actions on worker bee physiology: inhibition of worker ovaries (Maisonnasse et al, 2009) and acceleration of worker bee behavioural maturation (Maisonnasse et al, 2010). E-β-ocimene (boiling point 73 °C), which belongs to the terpene family, is volatile so and therefore has an aerial transmission and is easily dispersed within the colony (Maisonnasse et al, 2010).…”

Section: Interactions Between Adults and Broodmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical communication in the honeybee (Apis mellifera L.): a review

Trhlin¹,

Rajchard²

2011

Vet. Med. - Czech

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An important area of physiology of the honeybee (Apis mellifera) is chemical communication between individuals and castes in the swarm, which maintains its integrity and function. The highly complex social organization of honeybees is mediated through pheromones. Releaser pheromones cause rapid changes in the behaviour of the recipient, while primer pheromones have relatively slow and long-term effects on the physiology and behaviour of the recipient. Queen retinue pheromone (QRP) is a blend of the nine compounds (9-oxo-(E)-2-decenoic acid, (R)-and (S)-9-hydroxy-(E)-2-decenoic acid, methyl p-hydroxybenzoate, 4-hydroxy-3-methyoxyphenylethanol, methyl oleate, coniferyl alcohol, palmityl alcohol, and linolenic acid) and acts as a releaser pheromone by attracting worker bees to the queen. QRP also acts as a primer pheromone by physiologically inhibiting the ovary development of worker bees. An essential component of QRP, 9-oxo-(E)-2-decenoic acid, acts as a long-distance sex pheromone. Defensive behaviour of honeybees is induced and modulated by alarm pheromones. The essential alarm pheromone component is isopentyl acetate (IPA). The unsaturated derivative of IPA, 3-methyl-2-buten-1-yl acetate, was found in colonies of Africanized honeybees. The Nasanov gland of worker bees produces a pheromone (a blend of nerol, geraniol, (E)-and (Z)-citral, nerolic acid, geranic acid and (E,E)-farnesol) that acts as an attracting signal. This pheromone is used for aggregation (during swarming). Adult worker bees also produce a substance, ethyl oleate, that has a priming effect. Ethyl oleate is produced by adult forager bees and acts as a chemical inhibitory factor to delay age at onset of foraging (the presence of older worker bees causes a delayed onset of foraging in younger individuals). Chemical cues on the surface of larvae called a brood pheromone (ethyl and methyl esters of palmitic, linoleic, linolenic, stearic, and oleic acids, E-β-ocimene) are important in the communication between brood and worker bees. This pheromone modulates the feeding behaviour of worker bees, inhibits the activation of the worker ovary, induces worker bees to cap brood cells, increases the activity of the hypopharyngeal glands of nurse bees and modulates the behavioural maturation of worker bees.

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A scientific note on E-β-ocimene, a new volatile primer pheromone that inhibits worker ovary development in honey bees

Cited by 61 publications

References 14 publications

Reproduction of rebel workers in honeybee (Apis mellifera) colonies

Reproduction of rebel workers in honeybee (Apis mellifera) colonies

Assessing the role of β-ocimene in regulating foraging behavior of the honey bee, Apis mellifera

Chemical communication in the honeybee (Apis mellifera L.): a review

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