The ontogenetic pattern of mandibular gland components in queenless worker bees (Apis mellifera capensis Esch.)

The quantity and composition of the six major mandibular gland components of young queenless workers of the Cape honeybee (Apis mellifera capensis) were determined. The total amount of the six components increased with age. The relative quantities in the mandibular gland secretion of queenless caged workers were found to change rapidly during the first 4 days after emergence and to become dominated by the queen substance, 9-keto-2(E)-decenoic acid. Also the relative amounts of 9-hydroxy-decenoic acid, a precursor of the queen substance, showed an increase of an order of magnitude within the first 4 days of imaginal life. The relative amounts of the aromatic compounds typical to the queen pheromone remained similar in this developmental time window. The increase of queenlike compounds is particularly strong between days two and three after emergence. These queen-like pheromones play a major role in the development of reproductive hierarchies among workers under queenless conditions. This may be an important factor in the socio-parasitic pathway of A. m. capensis.