Effect of Various Dosages of Queen Mandibular Gland Pheromone on the Inhibition of Queen Rearing in the Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Abstract

The effects of various dosages of queen mandibular pheromone on the inhibition of queen rearing in queenless honey bee colonies was investigated. Dosages ranged from 10−3 to 10 queen equivalents (Qeq) per day; one Qeq was the amount of pheromone in an average pair of queen mandibular glands. Both temporal and dose-dependent effects were found. The higher doses were effective at preventing queen rearing early in the experiment (days 0–6), but by day 10, when queen rearing was effectively completed, there were few effects at any dose. Approximately 1 Qeq/d was sufficient to suppress queen rearing for up to 6 d in colonies of 8,000–10,000 workers. Results indicate that the active components of queens' mandibular glands exhibit dose-dependent effects on queen rearing, but there are additional requirements necessary for the suppression of queen rearing for periods longer than 6 d. The amount of pheromone secreted by queens and distributed by workers may be considerably greater than previously considered.