Evolution of queen cuticular hydrocarbons and worker reproduction in stingless bees

Social insect queen pheromones can be interpreted as the queen’s means of sterilizing her workers, or as an honest signal of queen presence that benefits both parties. Co-mapping worker reproductive behaviour and queen cuticular hydrocarbon (CH) composition and quantity on a phylogeny of 21 stingless bee species showed that there are no associations between these traits. Furthermore, three species that have independently evolved facultative worker sterility are unexceptional in their queen CH. Combined, our analysis suggests that the action of stingless bee queen CHs are best interpreted as a signal of queen presence and not as a chemical contraceptive. Co-mapping the incidence of worker reproduction and queen pheromone chemical composition on a phylogeny of stingless bees reveals no association between queen hydrocarbon profiles and worker reproduction.