Role of juvenile hormone biosynthesis in dominance status and reproduction of the bumblebee,Bombus terrestris

✍ Scribed by Myriam Larrere; Franck Couillaud

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1993
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 404 KB
• Volume: 33
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0340-5443
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00172932

✦ Synopsis

In Bombus terrestris females, dominant status is correlated with high levels of juvenile hormone (JH) biosynthesis and rapid o6cyte maturation. Queenright workers, which are inhibited by the dominant queen, complete the cycle of o6cyte maturation while exhibiting a continuous low rate of JH production, but their egglaying is inhibited. Measurements in foundress queens suggest that the low JH titer during o6genesis is probably not responsible for the inhibition of egg-laying. Queenless workers, kept individually, are not activated either for JH production or o6cyte maturation. In groups of three queenless workers, a dominance order becomes established and high rates of JH synthesis are observed in the dominant egg-laying workers, with low rates in subordinated workers. In groups of founder queens, also, a dominance order becomes established and results in a reduced rate of JH production in subordinated females.