| Title: | Individual versus social pathway to honeybee worker reproduction (Apis mellifera): pollen or jelly as protein source for oogenesis? |
| Author(s): | Schafer MO; Dietemann V; Pirk CW; Neumann P; Crewe RM; Hepburn HR; Tautz J; Crailsheim K; |
| Address: | "Chemisches und Veterinaruntersuchungsamt Freiburg, Am Moosweiher 2, 79108 Freiburg, Germany. mos.mellifera@gmx.de" |
| Journal Title: | J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s00359-006-0112-y |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 0340-7594 (Print) 0340-7594 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Honeybee workers, Apis mellifera, can reproduce in queenless colonies. The production of queen-like pheromones may be associated with their reproductive activity and induce nestmates to respond by feeding them. Such frequent trophallaxis could supply their protein needs for oogenesis, constituting a social pathway to worker reproduction. However, some individuals can develop ovaries without producing queen pheromones. The consumption of protein-rich pollen could be an alternative solitary pathway for them to satisfy this dietary requirement. In order to investigate the way in which workers obtain proteins for oogenesis, we created orphaned worker groups and determined ovarian and pheromonal development in relation to pollen consumption of selected workers. Individuals that did not consume pollen had significantly more developed ovaries and produced significantly more queen mandibular pheromone than workers that fed directly on pollen. Our results suggest that workers producing queen-like secretions are fed trophallactically. However, reproductive workers that lacked queen pheromones had consumed little or no pollen, suggesting that they also obtained trophallaxis. Although pollen consumption might contribute to sustaining oogenesis, it does not appear to be sufficient. Trophallaxis as a means of obtaining proteins seems to be necessary to attain reproductive status in queenless honeybee colonies" |
| Keywords: | "Analysis of Variance Animals Bees/*physiology Behavior, Animal Chi-Square Distribution Feeding Behavior/physiology Female *Gels Nesting Behavior Oogenesis/*physiology Ovary/growth & development Pheromones *Pollen Sexual Behavior, Animal/*physiology *Socia;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineSchafer, M O Dietemann, V Pirk, C W W Neumann, P Crewe, R M Hepburn, H R Tautz, J Crailsheim, K eng Comparative Study Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Germany 2006/03/02 J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol. 2006 Jul; 192(7):761-8. doi: 10.1007/s00359-006-0112-y. Epub 2006 Mar 1" |
