Queen bee pheromones are chemical signals produced by the queen and are crucial for maintaining the social order and stability of the hive. They are a complex mixture of substances that influence the behavior, physiology, and functioning of the entire colony. The primary queen pheromones are:

• Queen Mandibular Pheromone (QMP)
• Queen Retinue Pheromone
• Footprint Pheromone
• Dufour’s Gland Pheromone
• Nasonov Pheromone

Let’s look at each of these pheromones and their specific roles in detail.

• Source: Produced in the mandibular glands of the queen.

• Components: A blend of five major components, including 9-oxo-2-decenoic acid (9-ODA) and 9-hydroxydecenoic acid (9-HDA).

• Role:
  • Attraction: Worker bees are attracted to QMP, forming a “retinue” around the queen. This behavior helps spread her pheromones throughout the hive.
  • Inhibition of Worker Reproduction: QMP suppresses the reproductive abilities of worker bees, ensuring that the queen remains the sole egg-layer.
  • Swarm Coordination: QMP is crucial during swarming. It helps keep the swarm together by attracting workers to the queen’s location.
  • Colony Cohesion: Ensures the unity and harmony of the colony by signaling the presence of a healthy queen.

• Source: A combination of pheromones produced by the queen’s mandibular glands and other glands.

• Role:
  • Retinue Behavior: This pheromone blend encourages workers to groom and feed the queen, effectively maintaining her hygiene and well-being.
  • Spreading the Queen’s Scent: When worker bees groom the queen, they pick up her pheromones and distribute them throughout the hive, signaling her presence.

• Source: Released from the tarsal glands in the queen’s feet.

• Role:
  • Territorial Marking: This pheromone is deposited on comb surfaces as the queen walks around the hive. It reinforces the queen’s presence and influences worker behavior, such as inhibiting cell building for new queens when a fertile queen is present.

• Source: Secreted by the Dufour’s gland located near the sting gland.

• Role:
  • Egg Recognition: This pheromone helps workers distinguish between queen-laid eggs and worker-laid eggs. It ensures that only the queen’s eggs are nurtured, reinforcing her dominance in reproduction.

• Source: While not directly a queen pheromone, it works in conjunction with queen pheromones. Released by workers from the Nasonov gland.

• Role:
  • Colony Cohesion and Swarm Attraction: Helps maintain swarm integrity during swarming events. It signals the location of the queen to the rest of the swarm.

The sudden loss or removal of the queen creates a state of emergency in the hive, triggering a series of significant changes:

• Loss of Queen Pheromones: Within hours of the queen’s absence, the pheromone levels in the hive drop. The workers quickly sense the absence of the queen’s mandibular pheromone (QMP) and footprint pheromone, leading to confusion and unrest.
• Emergency Queen Rearing: Without the inhibitory effects of QMP, worker bees begin to rear new queens using existing larvae that are less than three days old. They will enlarge the cells and feed the larvae royal jelly to develop a new queen.
• Increased Worker Activity and Egg Laying: As QMP levels drop, some workers’ ovaries may develop, and they might start laying unfertilized eggs, leading to the production of drones. This can lead to a “drone-laying worker” situation if a new queen is not successfully reared.
• Possible Swarming or Supersedure: If the hive has prepared queen cells in anticipation of the old queen’s death or removal, the colony might either swarm or supersede the queen.
• Behavioral Changes: The hive may become more agitated or defensive due to the uncertainty and instability caused by the lack of queen pheromones.
• Selection of a New Queen: The first virgin queen to emerge will usually destroy any unhatched rivals to secure her position as the new queen. The workers will then start feeding and grooming her, reestablishing the pheromone signals needed to stabilize the colony once more.

The queen bee’s pheromones are vital to the hive’s organization, cohesion, and productivity. They serve as the invisible hand that guides the colony’s every move, from reproduction to daily functioning. Understanding these pheromones can offer beekeepers insight into hive health and dynamics, allowing them to manage their colonies more effectively. When a hive loses its queen, understanding the subsequent chain of events can help beekeepers intervene wisely to support the colony through its transition.

Africanized queens produce similar types of pheromones as European queens (e.g., Queen Mandibular Pheromone, Footprint Pheromone), but the composition and concentration differ slightly, and this may play a role in their invasive success here in Arizona. Their unique pheromone production, rapid reproductive rates, frequent swarming, and aggressive colony dynamics enable them to outcompete and displace European honey bee populations. I think you will find it interesting to look up some of the research dedicated to understanding the differences between European and African Honeybees.

Here is one I enjoyed.

• Evaluation of the Mandibular Pheromones Produced by Queens of Africanized and European Honeybees under Normal Conditions and During Absconding Processes by HPLC-UV Methodology

By recognizing the unique characteristics of Africanized queens, beekeepers can develop strategies to maintain the health and stability of European honey bee colonies in areas where Africanized bees are prevalent.

For weekly updates on beekeeping in Arizona and what do do with your bee products, sign up for my newsletter. You’ll also receive a FREE Quick Guide to Beekeeping in Arizona. You’ll love it!

If you would like more personalized help, book a mentorship session with me. Simply send me a message and we can set it up.