Individual versus social pathway to honeybee worker reproduction (Apis mellifera): pollen or jelly as protein source for oogenesis?

Journal of Comparative Physiology. A, Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology
M O SchäferK Crailsheim

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 oogen...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jan 19, 2012·Journal of Comparative Physiology. A, Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology·Ken TanChristian W W Pirk
Sep 20, 2015·Journal of Economic Entomology·Romain MoermanDenis Michez
May 19, 2009·Journal of Insect Physiology·Jakob WegenerKaspar Bienefeld
Sep 10, 2011·Molecular Ecology·Dries CardoenPeter Verleyen
May 13, 2008·Journal of Insect Physiology·Juliana Ramos MartinsMárcia Maria Gentile Bitondi
Aug 22, 2006·Molecular & Cellular Proteomics : MCP·Queenie W T ChanLeonard J Foster
May 20, 2018·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Abdullahi A YusufChristian W W Pirk
Jun 20, 2019·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Sarah A PrincenTom Wenseleers
Apr 14, 2016·Ecology and Evolution·Peter NeumannChristian W W Pirk
Sep 14, 2010·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Solomon Z AltayeSusan W Nicolson

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