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Repellency of the Mandibular Gland Scent of Worker Honey Bees

Nature volume 209, pages 531–532 (1966)Cite this article

Abstract

THE mandibular glands of worker honey bees secrete 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid, the chief lipoid component of larval food1,2, but although this substance is odourless, the secretion as a whole has a strong smell resembling that of the mould on blue-veined cheese. It is now shown to be repellent to foraging bees.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Hertfordshire

    J. SIMPSON

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  1. J. SIMPSON
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SIMPSON, J. Repellency of the Mandibular Gland Scent of Worker Honey Bees. Nature 209, 531–532 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1038/209531b0

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