Pheromones are biological substances with a specific odor that bees secrete to trigger a certain reaction in their colony members. Up to 30 pheromones have been discovered in bees, which differ from each other in the specificity of their physiological effects on colony members. More than ten of these pheromones have been identified and synthesized. Queen bee pheromones have been studied in detail. In addition to queens, pheromones are secreted by worker bees and drones. They do this at different times and in different situations, which provides the functioning of the bee colony.
Three groups of pheromones of the honey bee colony
Honeybee pheromones can be divided into three groups according to their functions:
1) Promoting food gathering and orientation;
2) Providing defense;
3) Promoting reproduction.
Pheromones of worker bees
The pheromones of worker bees include the secretion of Nasonov’s gland (it was first described in 1882 by the famous Russian zoologist N.V.Nasonov). Only worker bees have it. The pheromone of Nasonov’s gland helps to navigate when collecting food. When a bee sucks nectar in the goiter, deprived of a strong aroma, she sticks out the Nasonov’s gland, impregnating the air and surrounding objects with the smell of its odorous secretion, and attracts other collectors to the source of food.
Worker bees can also produce alarm pheromones that warn of danger and summon bees to defend the hive. When stung, a pheromone is released simultaneously with the venom, the smell of which causes aggression of other bees. They rush towards the enemy and try to attack him.
The larvae and pupae also produce special pheromones that help the foragers recognize their sex, age and need for food.
Queen bee pheromones
The queen pheromones regulate many activities of worker bees: flight activity, feeding, honeycomb construction, brood care. The queen’s pheromones are perceived by worker bees as orders: to increase the number of honeycombs, to bring more nectar, to increase brood feeding.
In addition, the pheromones produced by the queen keep the bees from growing a new queen and from the development of drones. As if they give a signal: everything is in order, the queen is in place and does her job.
But as the queen gets older, the strength of the pheromones diminishes. The bees realize that all is not well with the queen and it is time to change her.
The pheromones of the queen are transmitted to the bees that take care of her. Through them, the pheromones are passed on to neighboring bees and down the chain. If the queen is removed, it will be known to all the bees within a couple of hours. As soon as the worker bees sense the absence of a mate, their activity and productivity decreases.
Certain pheromones that the queen secretes alert the whole family that the queen is in the hive and is okay. With the help of certain pheromones she gives orders to the worker bees.
Certain pheromones of the queen can attract the drones during the mating flight. They also help to regulate the number of drones.
Pheromones secreted by drones
Pheromones secreted by drones are aggregation pheromones. In certain places distant from the apiary, accumulations of drones are found. Young males, older than five days, flying to these places, mature sexually. These places are located mainly in open areas and are visited by the males year after year. The queens, once in the vicinity of the drones, begin to attract them, after which mating takes place. Since drones gather in certain places even before the appearance of queens, it is natural to assume that they secrete pheromones that contribute to the formation of large concentrations of males. And then there is competition, and the strongest wins.
Conclusion
The nature of pheromones should not be underestimated. Like humans, bees use five senses. However, they still have their own language of communication – the pheromone language.
