Influence of immature queen honeybees (<i>Apis mellifera</i>) on queen rearing and foraging

Free, J. B.; Ferguson, A. W.; Simpkins, Jacqueline R.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-3032.1984.tb00779.x

Cited by 10 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 14 publications

(12 reference statements)

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“…Because queen larvae and pupae are attended by as many workers as attend virgin queens, they probably also produce attractive pheromones although they contain only traces of 9-ODA (Butler & Paton, 1962;Boch, 1979). Queen larvae and pupae inhibit queen rearing and encourage foraging, but less effectively than a mated queen (Free et al, 1984). Workers frequently and readily contact queen larvae and may easily obtain pheromone from them.…”

Section: Part Of Queen's Bodymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It seems that workers in the court obtain queen pheromone on their antennae and distribute it in the colony by antenna1 contact with other workers (Free, 1978;Seeley, 1979;Ferguson & Free, 1980;Juska el nl., 1981). Immature queens also produce pheromones (Boch, 1979;Free et al, 1984) which are probably distributed in a similar way (Free & Ferguson, 1982).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The behaviour of queen honeybees and their attendants

Free¹,

Ferguson²,

Simpkins³

1992

Physiological Entomology

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Abstract. The behaviour of queen and worker honeybees (Apis melliferaL.) was observed using small colonies in observation hives. Workers paid more attention to queens which had been mated for 2 months or more than to those which were newly mated; virgin queens received least attention. Queens received most attention when they were stationary and least when they were walking over the comb; virgin queens were most active. Queen cells had as many attendants as virgin queens and queen larvae were inspected almost continuously. The queen pheromone component 9–oxo‐trans‐2–decenoic acid stimulated ‘court’ behaviour when presented on small polyethylene blocks, but workers responded aggressively to complete extracts of queens' heads. Both the heads and abdomens of mated queens received much attention from court workers but the abdomens were palpated by more workers for longer and were licked much more. The queens' thoraces were least attended. Abdominal tergites posterior to tergite glands were licked for longer than those anterior to the glands. Only worker bees very near to the queen reacted to her and joined her ‘court’. No evidence was found of a diel periodicity in the behaviour of a queen or her ‘court’. During the winter the queen's court was smaller than in summer and she walked less and laid fewer eggs. When colonies were fed with sucrose syrup in winter, their queens laid more eggs and workers reared more brood but there was no change in the attention received by the queens. The implications of these findings for the secretion and distribution of queen pheromones are discussed.

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Section: Part Of Queen's Bodymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The behaviour of queen honeybees and their attendants

Free¹,

Ferguson²,

Simpkins³

1992

Physiological Entomology

Self Cite

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“…The technique was similar to that used previously (Free et a/., 1984). There were three experiments; the weather was hot, dry and sunny throughout each.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…and rear their occupants as queens. Recent experiments (Free et al, 1984) demonstrated that pheromone produced from queen cells, containing larvae or pupae, diminishes production of additional queen cells but not as effectively as pheromone from a mated laying queen.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Influence of virgin queen honeybees (Apis mellifera) on queen rearing and foraging

Free

Ferguson

Simpkins

1985

Physiological Entomology

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Virgin queens are as effective as mated laying queens at inhibiting colonies from rearing queens but not from producing queen cell cups. Colonies without brood produce fewer queen cell cups than similar colonies that have brood. Colonies without queens forage much less and collect less pollen than with either a mated or virgin queen. Colonies with virgin queens forage as much as those with mated queens but collected less pollen.

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