Journal Of Insect Physiology Vol. 46 (3) pp. 243-249
Copyright (c) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd All rights reserved.

Juvenile hormone profiles of worker honey bees, Apis mellifera, during normal and accelerated behavioural development

Omar Jassim
Zachary Y. Huang
Gene E. Robinson

Department of Entomology, University of Illinois, , Urbana, IL 61801, USA

Received 30 June 1999; Accepted 23 August 1999

Abstract

Juvenile hormone III (JH) haemolymph titres were quantified in adult worker honey bees under colony conditions conducive to either typical or accelerated behavioural development. JH titres of bees under conditions of accelerated behavioural development were significantly higher than same-aged bees under more typical conditions, even before the onset of foraging. These results are consistent with previous findings indicating that JH plays a causal role in timing the onset of foraging behaviour in honey bees. We also detected a peak of JH in 2--3 day old adult bees, the significance of which is unknown.

Keyword(s): Apis mellifera; Division of labour; Juvenile hormone; Behavioural development; Radioimmunoassay