Detection of odor perception in Asiatic honeybee (Apis cerana Fabricius, 1793) workers by changing membrane potential of the antennal sensilla

The role of honeybee mandibular gland compounds is poorly understood, although they may act as alarm pheromones. We measured forager and guard bee antennal responses evoked by two major components of mandibular gland secretions of the Asiatic honeybee, Apis cerana. Membrane potentials of antennal sensilla were measured after exposure to three concentrations of the synthetic alarm pheromones 2-heptanone and (Z)-11-eicosen-1-ol using a potentiostat (EA161) connected to an e-corder (ED401) with microelectrodes. The resting membrane potential of A. cerana foragers and guards was -55.23 ± 1.44 and -56.41 ± 1.21. mV, respectively. The membrane potential of foragers after exposure to 1.0, 5.0 and 10.0 2-heptanone was -5.32 ± 0.46, -8.41 ± 1.33 and -11.53 ± 2.16. mV, respectively. The membrane potential of guards was -5.49 ± 1.66, -8.46 ± 1.32 and -7.31 ± 3.46. mV, respectively. Exposure of foragers to 1.0, 5.0 and 10.0 (Z)-11-eicosen-1-ol induced membrane potentials of -24.00 ± 6.56, -36.36 ± 5.18 and -14.60 ± 8.20. mV, respectively; for guards they were -47.62 ± 1.46, -46.08 ± 0.87 and -9.35 ± 1.96. mV, respectively. The highest membrane potential was found in foragers exposed to 1.0 2-heptanone. The membrane potentials of foragers were higher than that of guards except at the highest concentration (10.0) of both pheromones. These findings suggest that antennal sensory receptors of foragers may have higher specific thresholds than those of guards. © 2010 Korean Society of Applied Entomology, Taiwan Entomological Society and Malaysian Plant Protection Society

Biology of Thai honeybees: Natural history and threats

Honeybees play an important ecological role as pollinators of many plant species, and their products are the basis for a multi-million dollar commercial industry in the US and more than a thousand million Bath in Thailand. This chapter provides a summary of the natural history of Thai honeybees. We focus on the role of Thai honeybees in pollination ecology, potential threats to honeybees, and commercial applications of products derived from honeybees. This chapter covers how honeybees reproduce, variation in caste development among Thai species, and how sex determines the division of labor in these populations. The discovery of the oldest bee species and the evolution of honeybees also will be discussed. In addition to behavior related to nesting and colony defense. We will also examine honeybee pheromones: how honeybees produce pheromones, how they detect pheromones and other odorants, and how they respond after exposure to pheromones. Finally, we will focus on the role of parasites (i.e., wax moth, mites), predators and pathogens on the ecology of Thai honeybees, and explore the consequences for honeybee commercial product and pollination. There are seven sections in this chapter on Thai honeybees, 1) natural history, evolution and taxonomy; 2) castes, development, and age polyethism; 3) anatomy, including the structure of the pheromone glands and exocrine glands; 4) olfaction, odor production, odor perception and pheromones, 5) pollination, 6) beekeeping, and 7) honeybee pathogens, parasites and predators. Our goal is not to exhaustively discuss each topic, but provide relevant information about native species of Thai honeybees in regional context. Much more information is known about the European honeybee (Apis mellifera) than other species of Apis. In some of these sections, we will therefore be necessarily brief. © 2012 Nova Science Publishers, Inc

Biology of Thai honeybees: Natural history and threats

Honeybees play an important ecological role as pollinators of many plant species, and their products are the basis for a multi-million dollar commercial industry in the US and more than a thousand million Bath in Thailand. This chapter provides a summary of the natural history of Thai honeybees. We focus on the role of Thai honeybees in pollination ecology, potential threats to honeybees, and commercial applications of products derived from honeybees. This chapter covers how honeybees reproduce, variation in caste development among Thai species, and how sex determines the division of labor in these populations. The discovery of the oldest bee species and the evolution of honeybees also will be discussed. In addition to behavior related to nesting and colony defense. We will also examine honeybee pheromones: how honeybees produce pheromones, how they detect pheromones and other odorants, and how they respond after exposure to pheromones. Finally, we will focus on the role of parasites (i.e., wax moth, mites), predators and pathogens on the ecology of Thai honeybees, and explore the consequences for honeybee commercial product and pollination. There are seven sections in this chapter on Thai honeybees, 1) natural history, evolution and taxonomy; 2) castes, development, and age polyethism; 3) anatomy, including the structure of the pheromone glands and exocrine glands; 4) olfaction, odor production, odor perception and pheromones, 5) pollination, 6) beekeeping, and 7) honeybee pathogens, parasites and predators. Our goal is not to exhaustively discuss each topic, but provide relevant information about native species of Thai honeybees in regional context. Much more information is known about the European honeybee (Apis mellifera) than other species of Apis. In some of these sections, we will therefore be necessarily brief. © 2012 Nova Science Publishers, Inc

Bioassay of the mandibular gland pheromones of Apis florea on the foraging activity of dwarf honey bees

In this study, we tested the responses (attractiveness or repellence) of two species of dwarf honey bee (Apis andreniformis and Apis florea) foragers to the synthetic mandibular gland pheromones 1-eicosanol, eicosane, heneicosane and 2-heptanol. The pheromone concentrations were varied from 0.0, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 5.0 and 10.0 (v/v) in n-hexane. A. andreniformis foragers were repelled by 5.0 eicosane and 5.0 and 10.0 heptanol, while 0.5 and 1.0 1-eicosanol, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 5.0 and 10.0 eicosane, 0.5 and 1.0 heneicosane and 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 5.0 and 10.0 2-heptanol repelled A. florea foragers. A. andreniformis foragers were attracted to 0.1 1-eicosanol, 10.0 eicosane, 1.0, 5.0 and 10.0 heneicosane and 0.1 2-heptanol. None of the pheromones were attractive to A. florea foragers. © 2011 IBRA