Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-94fs2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T04:34:06.205Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Synthetic pheromones to attract honeybee (Apis mellifera) swarms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

J. B. Free ,
J. A. Pickett ,
A. W. Ferguson  and
M. C. Smith
J. B. Free
Affiliation:
Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Hertfordshire
J. A. Pickett
Affiliation:
Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Hertfordshire
A. W. Ferguson
Affiliation:
Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Hertfordshire
M. C. Smith
Affiliation:
Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Hertfordshire
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Lures containing the synthetic pheromone components (E)- and (Z)-citrals, geraniol and nerolic and geranic acids made new hives, not previously occupied by honeybee colonies, more attractive to caged honeybee swarms than unbaited hives (20 out of 20 tests). The lure also made old hives, previously occupied by colonies, more attractive to caged swarms (19 out of 20 tests) and to swarms in natural conditions (12 occupied compared with none without the lure). Adding (E)-9-oxo-2-decenoic acid (part of the queen's mandibular gland pheromone) to the lure increased its attractiveness to caged swarms (20 out of 20 tests). Practical implications in beekeeping are discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 97 , Issue 2 , October 1981 , pp. 427 - 431
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1981

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Avitabile, A., Morse, R. A. & Boch, R. (1975). Swarming honeybees guided by pheromones. Annala of the Entomological Society of America 68, 1079–1082.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Butler, C. G., Callow, R. K. & Johnston, N. C. (1961). The isolation and synthesis of queen substance, 9-oxo-trans-2-enoic acid, a honeybee pheromone. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 155, 417–432.Google Scholar
Callow, R. K., Chapman, J. R. & Paton, P. N. (1964). Pheromones of the honeybee: chemical studies of the mandibular gland secretion of the queen. Journal of Apicultural Research 3, 77–89.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ferguson, A. W., Free, J. B., Pickett, J. A. & Winder, M. (1979). Techniques for studying honeybee pheromones involved in clustering, and experiments on the effect of Nasonov and queen pheromones. Physiological Entomology 4, 339–344.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Free, J. B., Ferguson, A. W. & Pickett, J. A. (1981). Evaluation of the various components of the Nasonov pheromone used by clustering honeybees. Physiological Entomology (in the Press).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morse, R. A. & Boch, R. (1971). Pheromone concert in swarming honeybees (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Annala of the Entomological Society of America 64, 1414–1417.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pain, J., Barbier, M. & Roger, B. (1967). Dosages individuels des acids céto-9-décène-2-oique et hydroxy-10-décène-2-oique dans les têtes des reines et des ouvrières d'abeilles. Annals de l'Abeille 10, 45–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pickett, J. A., Williams, I. H., Martin, A. P. & Smith, M. C. (1980). The Nasonov pheromone of the honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera. Apidae). Part I. Chemical characterisation. Journal of Chemical Ecology 6, 425–434.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schlenk, H. & Gellerman, J. L. (1960). Esterification of fatty acids with diazomethane on a small scale. Analytical Chemistry 32, 1412–1414.CrossRefGoogle Scholar