The Effect of Mandibular Gland Extirpation on the Longevity and Attractiveness to Workers of Queen Honey Bees, Apis mellifera

Abstract

The mandibular glands were extirpated from 6 of 12 mated, sister queen honey bees, 1 month old. Two of the modified and five of the untreated queens survived after being held for about 11 months in otherwise normal colonies. The modified queens were almost completely unattractive to worker bees at the end of the experiment. The brood quantity and quality in the colonies headed by modified queens was not very dissimilar from those found in the check colonies.