Maturation of tergal gland alkene profiles in European honey bee queens, Apis mellifera L.

In a series of husbandry and stop-time chemical experiments with honey bee queens, the production of tergal gland alkenes was found to be stimulated by natural mating and not by instrumental insemination. Carbon dioxide, physical manipulation of the sting chamber and vagina, presence of sperm in the spermatheca, egg production, and chemicals transferred via drone semen are demonstrated to not initiate the synthesis of the tergal gland alkenes. The compounds probably do not function as sex pheromones. However, the circumstances and timing of the initiation of production of the tergal gland alkenes strongly suggests a communication role for the compounds within the hive.