Queen bees use chemical signals to keep their daughters home

Queen bee pheromones help daughters decide whether to leave the nest, shows study — The broad-cheeked Nocturnal-Sweat Bee (Megalopta genalis), the species examined for the study. (Carmelo Lopez via SWNS)
By Talker

The broad-cheeked Nocturnal-Sweat Bee (Megalopta genalis), the species examined for the study. (Carmelo Lopez via SWNS)
By Talker

By Stephen Beech

Queen bee pheromones help their daughters decide whether to stay or leave the nest, reveals new research.

This page requires Javascript.

Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmr96>:42= D:8?2=D 96=A 56E6C>:?6 H96E96C @77DAC:?8 C6>2:? 2?5 H@C< 7@C E96 BF66? @C =62G6 E@ 6DE23=:D9 ?6DED @7 E96:C @H?[ D2J D4:6?E:DED]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96J 6IA=2:?65 E92E 76>2=6 DH62E 366D ?665 E@ >2<6 2 QA:G@E2=Q =:76 564:D:@? — C6>2:? :? E96 ?6DE E@ 96=A E96:C >@E96C C2:D6 >@C6 @77DAC:?8 @C =62G6 E@ 6DE23=:D9 ?6DED @7 E96:C @H?]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm#6D62C496CD 2E E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^DEC:]D:]65FQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQm$>:E9D@?:2? %C@A:42= #6D62C49 x?DE:EFE6k^2m W$%#xX :? !2?2>2 7@F?5 E92E BF66? A96C@>@?6D 96=A :?7=F6?46 E92E 49@:46[ @776C:?8 ?6H :?D:89E :?E@ 9@H 4@@A6C2E:@? 6G@=G65 :? :?D64E D@4:6E:6D]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 DEF5J[ AF3=:D965 :? E96 ;@FC?2= k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^C@J2=D@4:6EJAF3=:D9:?8]@C8^CDA3Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQm!C@4665:?8D @7 E96 #@J2= $@4:6EJ qk^2m[ :56?E:7:65 7@C E96 7:CDE E:>6 E92E[ G:2 A96C@>@?6D[ DH62E 366 BF66?D 4@>>F?:42E6 E@ E96:C 52F89E6CD E92E DE:4<:?8 3J E96> :D 2 H@CE9H9:=6 :?G6DE>6?E]k^Am

Callum Kingwell, the lead author on the study, collecting waxy surface chemicals from live bees using specialized ‘solid phase microexraction’ fibers. (Jorge Aleman via SWNS)
By Talker

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm$%#x A@DE5@4E@C2= 76==@H r2==F> z:?8H6== 6IA=2:?65 E92E H96? DH62E 366 52F89E6CD 8C@H FA[ E96:C =:G6D 9625 :? @?6 @7 D6G6C2= 5:C64E:@?D]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm$@>6 C6>2:? :? E96 ?6DE 2D ?@?C6AC@5F4E:G6 96=A6CD — @C Qk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E2=<6C]?6HD^a_ae^_e^`f^9@H\9@?6J366D\>2<6\323J\7@@5\7@C\E96:C\=2CG26^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQmH@C<6C 366Dk^2mQ — H9:=6 @E96CD =62G6 E96:C >@E96CVD ?6DE 2?5 6DE23=:D9 E96:C @H?[ 6:E96C 2D 2 D@=:E2CJ BF66? @C 2D E96 7@F?56C @7 2 ?6H D@4:2= ?6DE]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 C6D62C49 E62> DA64F=2E65 E92E E96:C 564:D:@? 56A6?5D @? E96 BF66?VD 962=E9 2?5 H96E96C =62G:?8 E96 ?6DE 277@C5D E96 4@=@?J E96 36DE 492?46 @7 A2DD:?8 @? 96C 86?6D]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 E62> H2?E65 E@ <?@H H96E96C 496>:42= D:8?2=D 7C@> E96 BF66? 4@?EC:3FE65 E@ E96:C 52F89E6CDV 49@:46D]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmz:?8H6== D2:5i Q(6 2C6 :?E6C6DE65 :? E96 6G@=FE:@? @7 4@@A6C2E:@?[ 2?5 :? E9:D 42D6[ 9@H DH62E 366D 564:56 H96E96C 4@@A6C2E:@? :D H@CE9H9:=6]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ~FC @3D6CG2E:@?D AC@G:56 2 C2C6 H:?5@H :?E@ 9@H k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E2=<6C]?6HD^a_ab^_b^_g^3F>3=6366D\=62C?\E@\D@=G6\AC@3=6>D\3J\H2E49:?8\6249\@E96C^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQm:?D64E D@4:6E:6Dk^2m >2J 7:CDE 6G@=G6]Qk^Am

The broad-cheeked Nocturnal-Sweat Bee (Megalopta genalis), bee species. (USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab via SWNS)
By Talker

More from this section

Scientists identify ‘oddball’ meteorite that wiped out dinosaurs

Taxpayer cost to prosecute Wisconsin dog advocates could be millions, attorney says

AI takeover? The 5 safest jobs in the market right now

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 C6D62C496CD DEF5:65 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E2=<6C]?6HD^a_ab^_c^_f^:?G2D:G6\7@C6:8?\2?ED\E9C62E6?\7=@C:52D\64@DJDE6>D\DEF5J\H2C?D^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQm4@@A6C2E:@?k^2m 36EH66? BF66?D 2?5 E96:C 52F89E6CD @? q2CC@ r@=@C25@ xD=2?5 :? E96 !2?2>2 r2?2= 3J A=24:?8 9F?5C65D @7 2CE:7:4:2= ?6DED :? E96 366DV ?2EFC2= 923:E2E @G6C D6G6C2= J62CD]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 E62> >2C<65 :?5:G:5F2= 366D 2?5 C64@C565 G:56@D @7 E96:C 3692G:@C E@ 56E6C>:?6 H96E96C 52F89E6CD DE2J65 2?5 H@C<65[ FDFCA65 E96 BF66? @C =67E E96 ?6DE E@ C6AC@5F46 6=D6H96C6]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%@ 2DD6DD H96E96C 496>:42= D:8?2=D 4@?EC:3FE65 E@ E96 49@:46[ E96 C6D62C496CD 492C24E6C:K65 E96 496>:42=D 4@2E:?8 E96 366DV 3@5:6D FD:?8 25G2?465 2?2=JE:42= E649?:BF6D[ :?4=F5:?8 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]D4:6?465:C64E]4@>^E@A:4D^496>:DECJ^82D\49C@>2E@8C2A9J\>2DD\DA64EC@>6ECJ\84>DQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQm82D 49C@>2E@8C2A9Jk^2m 4@FA=65 H:E9 >2DD DA64EC@>6ECJ — EH@ E649?:BF6D E92E 96=A :56?E:7J 2?5 BF2?E:7J :?5:G:5F2= 496>:42= 4@>A@F?5D]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmz:?8H6== D2:5i Qp A2CE:4F=2C=J ?@G6= 2DA64E @7 E9:D DEF5J H2D A6C7@C>:?8 496>:42= 2?2=JD6D 5:C64E=J @? q2CC@ r@=@C25@ xD=2?5 2?5 C6A62E65=J D2>A=:?8 =:G6 366D[ 2==@H:?8 FD E@ EC24< 496>:42= D:8?2=:?8 :? E96 D2>6 7C66\=:G:?8 :?5:G:5F2= 366D E9C@F89@FE E96:C =:G6D]Qk^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 C6D62C49 E62> 7@F?5 E92E BF66? A96C@>@?6D :?7=F6?46 52F89E6CD :? EH@ H2JD]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmsFC:?8 2 4C:E:42= DE286 @7 56G6=@A>6?E[ A96C@>@?6 =6G6=D C@D6 :? E96 BF66? 2?5 :?9:3:E65 E96:C 52F89E6CDV @G2C:2? 56G6=@A>6?E]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 D2>6 496>:42= D:8?2=D 2=D@ 2AA62C65 E@ :?5:42E6 E96 BF66?VD C6AC@5F4E:G6 962=E9]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm(96? A96C@>@?6 =6G6=D H6C6 9:896C[ 52F89E6CD H6C6 >@C6 =:<6=J E@ C6>2:? 2?5 96=A]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%@86E96C[ E96 C6D62C49 E62> D2JD E96:C 7:?5:?8D DF886DE BF66? A96C@>@?6D 96=A 52F89E6CD 49@@D6 36EH66? 96=A:?8 E96:C >@E96C AC@5F46 >@C6 @77DAC:?8 @C C6AC@5F4:?8 :?56A6?56?E=J]k^Am

Callum Kingwell, the lead author on the study, holding an observation nest housing free-living Megalopta bees in the Barro Colorado Island forest understory. (Jorge Aleman via SWNS)
By Talker

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm$EF5J 4@\2FE9@C q:== (4:D=@ D2:5i Qr96>:42= D:8?2=D =:<6 E96D6 >2J DE23:=:K6 ?2D46?E :?D64E D@4:6E:6D[ 3FJ:?8 E:>6 7@C D@4:2= 4@>A=6I:EJ E@ 6>6C86 @G6C 6G@=FE:@?2CJ E:>6]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ%9:D C6AC6D6?ED[ E@ @FC <?@H=6586[ E96 7:CDE BF66? A96C@>@?6 :56?E:7:65 7@C 2 7=6I:3=6 D@4:2= :?D64E]Qk^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmz:?8H6== 25565i Q%96 6G@=FE:@? @7 4@@A6C2E:@? :D 2 7F?52>6?E2= BF6DE:@? E92E 6IE6?5D 72C 36J@?5 :?D64ED]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ~FC H@C< D9@HD 9@H k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E2=<6C]?6HD^a_ae^_b^ab^?6H\C6D62C49\C6G62=D\H92E\>2<6D\9@?6J\366D\52?46\36EE6C^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQm496>:42= 4@>>F?:42E:@?k^2m 42? 96=A :?5:G:5F2=D 564:56 H96? 4@@A6C2E:@? :D H@CE9H9:=6[ @776C:?8 :?D:89ED C6=6G2?E E@ 6G@=FE:@?2CJ 3:@=@8J[ 2?:>2= 3692G:@C 2?5 D@4:2= DJDE6>D 86?6C2==J]Qk^Am

Queen bees use chemical signals to keep their daughters home

Scientists identify ‘oddball’ meteorite that wiped out dinosaurs

Taxpayer cost to prosecute Wisconsin dog advocates could be millions, attorney says

AI takeover? The 5 safest jobs in the market right now

Nominate Your Favorites!

Local Weather

Publications

Services

Rate:
Begins:
Transaction ID:

More from this section

Tags

Recommended for you

Nominate Your Favorites!

Most Popular

Publications

Services

Sign Up

You're all set!

Log In

Reset Password

Forgot Password

Email me a log in link

Promotional Offers

Purchase Gift Purchase Access

You're all set!

An error occurred