Comparison of the defensive behaviour of Apis mellifera L. workers and the aggressionof their queen sisters

摘要

The defensive behaviour of Apis mellifera L. workers is a psychic trait that has been devoted a great deal of attention by researchers (12, 13). The high aggressiveness displayed by a colony that is being upset by an intruder multiplies its chances ofsurvival. The research of worker defensive behavior also constitutes the basis for the selection by bee breeders aimed at obtaining calm colonies (11). On the other hand, workers do not produce offspring but the queens do. Reproductive conflicts betweenvirgin queens are one of the main tools of natural selection (2, 14). Among bees, the conflict assumes the form of predominantly fatal fights (30). The elimination of excess queens reared in a colony involves: the departure of a queen with a swarm, thestinging of a queen by its rival in the queen cell or as a result of a mortal duel with the rival (10). Queens also fight in swarms containing more thanone queen (26). Aggressive behavior is observed between A. mellifera capensis egg laying workers and queens (18).