AGE-DEPENDENT CONDITIONED RESPONSES TO QUEEN PHEROMONE IN APIS MELLIFERA CARNICA POLLM. WORKERS FROM QUEENLESS COLONY TREATED WITH SYNTHETIC QUEEN MANDIBULAR PHEROMONE

Abstract

The age-dependent electroantennogram (EAG) and conditioned proboscis extension responses to the full queen extract (QE), at a dose of 10-3 queen equivalent (Qeq), in QMP-treated (QMP+) and untreated (QMP-) workers were investigated. Our results revealed a great improvement in olfactory learning of QMP+ workers during the first 10 days of adult life. We found that learning capability developed differently in workers from QMP+ and QMP- colonies. In general, conditioned responses of QMP- workers to QE were lower than those of QMP+ workers but significant differences in conditioned response levels in QMP+ and QMP- workers were recorded on day 8 and 10 of their adult life. No significant differences were revealed between EAG responses of QMP+ and QMP- workers of the same age.