Responses of Queenright and Queenless Workers of Apis Cerana to 9-keto-2(E)-decenoic Acid, a Pheromonal Constituent of the Mandibular Gland

Abstract

In dequeened honeybee colonies ovarian activation occurs in some workers, and the pheromonal bouquets of these laying workers become more queen-like. In the Asiatic honeybee, Apis cerana, we compared the amounts of 9-keto-2(E)-decenoic acid (9-ODA), a mandibular gland pheromone component, between non-laying workers from queenright colonies and laying workers from queenless colonies and, further, applied synthetic 9-ODA to workers to determine whether workers discriminate workers with activated ovaries based on the level of this compound. Levels of 9-ODA were higher in laying workers from dequeened colonies than in non-laying workers from queenright colonies. In both queenright and queenless colonies, more workers treated with 9-ODA were attacked by other workers than were control-treated workers. These results suggest that detection of pseudoqueens in A. cerana is mediated by changes in 9-ODA.2

Reproductive parasitism by worker honey bees suppressed by queens through regulation of worker mandibular secretions

“…The role of QMP in the inhibition of ovarian activation has been well documented 41 , 42 , for queens inhibiting ovarian activation within their own colonies. QMP components 9-ODA and 9-HDA have been shown to inhibit ovarian activation in both Apis mellifera and Apis cerana 74 . Other glands contributing to the queen’s overall pheromone bouquet such as the tergal glands 25 , 66 , 72 also contribute to the suppression of reproductive dominance in workers through inhibition of both ovarian activation and production of queen-like pheromone signals.…”

Pheromones affecting ovary activation and ovariole loss in the Asian honey bee Apis cerana

“…The mandibular secretions of queenright A. cerana workers have extremely low amounts of 9-ODA and a relatively high proportion of 9-HDA (Plettner et al, 1997;Tan et al, 2012). However when A. cerana workers become queenless there is a 5-10-fold increase in the total amount of 9-ODA present in their mandibular secretions (Tan et al, 2010(Tan et al, , 2012.…”

“…Second, in artificial mixed-species colonies of A. cerana + A. mellifera an A. cerana queen partially inhibits ovary activation in A. mellifera workers, suggesting that the well-characterized A. mellifera QMP is evolutionarily conserved in A. cerana (Ken et al, 2009). Finally, when 0.1 lg 9-ODA is placed on the dorsal surface of A. cerana workers they are often attacked by other workers, suggesting that they are recognized as being reproductive and are therefore policed (Tan et al, 2010).…”