High Concentration of Nectar Quercetin Enhances Worker Resistance to Queen’s Signals in Bees

Abstract

In honeybee colonies, pheromones produced by the host's queen inhibit worker reproductive potential and queen rearing. Here, we showed that worker bees fed with syrup containing high concentrations of the phenolic quercetin are likely to initiate ovarian development and to build many queen cells in their colony throughout the feeding trial. Workers fed syrup containing high levels of quercetin were aggressive against their queen. Our study suggests that increased phenolic compounds in nectar could enhance worker bee resistance to queen signals in honeybee colonies.