STABILIZED SYNTHETIC BROOD PHEROMONE FOR MANIPULATING THE BEHAVIOUR AND PHYSIOLOGY OF HONEY BEES

摘要

The invention relates to a stabilized synthetic honey bee brood pheromone and methods of stabilizing the synthetic honey bee brood pheromone, thereby enabling the production and sustained use of commercial products based on that pheromone. The stabilized synthetic pheromone can be used to manipulate the behaviour and improve the performance of worker honey bees, resulting in an overall increased vigour of the hive. The stabilized synthetic honey bee pheromone composition comprises two or more of ethyl linoleate, ethyl linolenate, ethyl oleate, ethyl palmitate, ethyl stearate, methyl linoleate, methyl lmolenate, methyl oleate, methyl palmitate and methyl stearate and an antioxidant.