Novel pheromone composition for use in controlling honey bee colonies

摘要

A novel combination of five queen-produced mandibular gland substances which can be used for controlling worker retinue formation around or in place of a honey bee queen Apis mellifera L. is disclosed. The composition comprises: 9-keto-2(E)-decenoic acid, R-(-)- and S-(+)-9-hydroxy-2(E)-decenoic acid, methyl p-hydroxybenzoate, and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylethanol. Each component more or less is generally weakly active alone, but the blend of five compounds in a ratio corresponding to their occurrence in gland extracts imparts activity equivalent to queen mandibular extract at a level as low as 10-7 of that present in a queen. This blend of compounds initiates the retinue response, which includes the licking and antennating behaviour that signals the presence of a dominant reproductive queen, and thereby establishes and stabilizes the social fabric of the colony.