Comparison of pheromone content on the body surfacesofApis cerana cerana and Apis mellifera ligustica queens
Author of the article:WU Xiao-Bo** TIAN Liu-Qin PAN Qi-Zhong ZENG Zhi-JIANG***
Author's Workplace：Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China
Key Words：Apis cerana cerana, Apis mellifera ligustica, queen, pheromones
Abstract：[Objectives] To compare pheromones on the surface of Apis cerana cerana and Apis mellifera ligustica queens across different life stages and explore the mechanism of queen mating interference between the two species. [Methods] The components of pheromones on the surface of newly emerged queens, sexually-mature queens and queens engaged in mating-flights were analyzed by GC-MS. [Results] The results were as follows：in A. c. cerana colonies, 9-ODA was significantly higher in queens engaged in mating-flights than in newly emerged queens while 9-HDA was significantly higher in queens engaged in mating-flights than in newly emerged and sexually mature queens. In A. m. ligustica colonies, 9-ODA was significantly higher in queens engaged in mating-flights than in newly emerged queens. In addition, 9-ODA, 9-HDA and 10-HDA were significantly higher on the body surface of sexually mature A. m. ligustica queens than on sexually mature A. c. cerana queens, but queens engaged in mating-flights had no significant between-species difference in the amount of these pheromones. [Conclusion] The quantities pheromones of A. c. cerana and A. m. ligustica queens change during maturation and the content of some pheromones was slightly different in sexually mature queens of these two species. No significant between-species difference in pheromones was detected in queens performing mating flights.