Age dependency of worker bee response to queen pheromone in a four-armed olfactometer

Behavioral responses of differently aged worker bees Apis mellifera to a queen pheromonal extract were analysed. The bees were tested individually in a four-armed olfactometer, one arm being scented with the pheromonal extract. This extract was prepared from heads of 14-17-day-old unmated queens. Among the components of the blend, 470 mu g 9-keto-2-(E)-decenoic acid, 200 mu g 9-hydroxy-2-(E)-decenoic acid and 5 mu g p-hydroxybenzoic acid methyl ester per queen equivalent were dosed. An age dependency in the worker bees' olfactory response to the components of the queen extract was shown, the strongest response occurring below the age of 5 days.