Queen honey bee attractiveness as related to mandibular gland secretion.
The termination of mandibular gland secretion by gland removal in living mated queen honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) caused approximately 85 percent loss of queen attractiveness to worker bees. The secretion of attractants in virgin queens increased with age. Old virgins were as attractive as mated queens. A rapid assay for queen attractiveness is described.
D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000502:physiology*
BEES; SUBMAXILLARY GLAND/physiology