Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 18 February 1977:
Vol. 195. no. 4279, pp. 694 - 696
DOI: 10.1126/science.195.4279.694
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Behavioral Control of Workers by Queens in Primitively Eusocial Bees

MICHAEL D. BREED 1 and GEORGE J. GAMBOA 1

1 Department of Entomology and Systematics and Ecology, University of Kansas, Lawrence 66045

Queens of Lasioglossum zephyrum, a primitively eusocial bee, are considerably more active than workers. The queen's behavior stimulates worker activities; removal of the queen results in a marked reduction in activities of other bees. The queen not only activates workers but also directs them by a primitive recruitment behavior suggestive of tandem running of highly eusocial ants.

Submitted on October 18, 1976


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Direct assessment of queen quality and lack of worker suppression in a paper wasp.
J. Liebig, T. Monnin, and S. Turillazzi (2005)
Proc R Soc B 272, 1339-1344
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Dominance hierarchy and reproductive conflicts among subordinates in a monogynous queenless ant.
T. Monnin and C. Peeters (1999)
Behav. Ecol. 10, 323-332
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)