Current Research in Agriculture and Farming (CRAF)
Year : 2025, Volume 6, Issue 1
First page : 9-13
Article doi: : http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2582-7146.245
1Divission of Sericulture, Manasa Gangothri University, Mysore, Karnatka, India 2Department of Entomology, Chaudhary Sarvan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India 3PhD Scholar, Division of Entomology, Sher-E-Kashmir University of Agricultural Scineces and Technology, Chatha, Jammu 4The Graduate School, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India 5Project Associate, Floriculture lab, Division of Agrotechnology, Council of Scientific, and Industrial Research- Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR-IHBT), Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India 6Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Entomology, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture & Technology, Udaipur, Rajasthan *Corresponding Author E-mail: ladybird.cryptolaemus@gmail.com Received: 15.12.2024 | Revised: 18.02.2025 | Accepted: 26.02.2025
ABSTRACT
Queen bee pheromones, particularly the queen mandibular pheromone (QMP), are critical chemical signals regulating honey bee (Apis mellifera) colony dynamics. Comprising compounds like 9-oxo-2-decenoic acid (9-ODA), QMP suppresses worker reproduction, coordinates task allocation, prevents swarming, and facilitates mating. These pheromones act through olfactory and molecular pathways, modulating gene expression and epigenetic mechanisms to maintain colony cohesion. Ecologically, QMP enhances colony resilience and supports pollination services, while its applications in beekeeping improve colony management. Despite advances, gaps remain in understanding minor pheromone components and environmental impacts on signaling. This review synthesizes the chemical, physiological, and ecological roles of queen pheromones, highlighting their evolutionary significance and future research directions.
Keywords: Queen pheromones, QMP, Colony regulation, Worker reproduction, Social cohesion.
Full Text : PDF; Journal doi : http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2582-7146.245
Cite this article:
Damodhara, G. N., Karthik, R., Raj, S. S., Sharma, K., Manjunatha, B., Priti, Vashishta, N., Mahala, S. K., & Abhishek, T. S. (2025). Queen Bee Pheromones and Colony Regulation, Curr. Rese. Agri. Far. 6(1), 9-13. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2582-7146.245
