Honey bee queens produce a sophisticated array of chemical signals (pheromones) that influence both the behavior and physiology of their nest mates (Beggs et al. 2007). Well known impacts of the queen’s pheromones include formation of the queen’s retinue, inhibiting ovary development in workers, inhibiting the production of queen cells and attraction of drones during her mating flight(s). However, there are several other less known effects associated with the queen’s pheromones.
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