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Semiochemical basis of the retinue response to queen honey bees

Nature volume 332, pages 354–356 (1988)Cite this article

Abstract

The substance produced by the mandibular gland complex (HQMC) of queen honey bees is considered to be responsible for retinue formation in honey bees, Apis mellifera L.1–3. The retinue response includes the licking and antennating behaviour which signals the presence of a dominant reproductive queen and thereby establishes and stabilizes the social fabric of the colony. Despite 25 years of research, none of the known constituents of HQMC extract4,5 has been effective in eliciting full retinue behaviour. We report that the mandibular-gland-based retinue response is mediated by five semiochemicals. Each component is weakly active alone, but the complete blend imparts activity equivalent to HQMC extract at a level as low as 10–7 of that present in a queen.

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Author notes

  1. Keith N. Slessor: To whom correspondence should be addressed

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Simon Eraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6, Canada

    Keith N. Slessor & G. G. S. King

  2. Center for Pest Management, Department of Biological Science, Simon Eraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6, Canada

    Lori-Ann Kaminski, John H. Borden & Mark L. Winston

Authors
  1. Keith N. Slessor
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  2. Lori-Ann Kaminski
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  3. G. G. S. King
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  4. John H. Borden
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  5. Mark L. Winston
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Slessor, K., Kaminski, LA., King, G. et al. Semiochemical basis of the retinue response to queen honey bees. Nature 332, 354–356 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1038/332354a0

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