The Pheromonal Profile of the Drone Honey Bees Apis mellifera: The Volatile Messengers

Abstract

The drone honey bee produces volatile chemicals during developmental and adult stages that facilitate chemical interaction between drone larvae and workers, drone to drone, and drone to the queen. For example, the drone larvae solicit larval food from nurse bees through chemical messengers; further, adult drones attract other drones to drone congregation areas (DCA) through pheromones; the drones attract queen honey bees to DCA through volatile chemicals. The mandibular drone gland secretes volatile chemicals, a mixture of saturated, unsaturated, and methyl-branched fatty acids. In the drone honey bee of Apis mellifera, about 18,600 olfactory poreplate sensilla per antenna are associated with receptor neurons. The current chapter highlights the role of chemical volatiles in Drone honey bee’s life and overall influence.

Keywords: Chemical communication, Colonial cehaviour, Pheromones.

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