Decentralized control of drone comb construction in honey bee colonies.

摘要

The amount of drone comb in a nest was governed by negative feedback from drone comb already constructed. This feedback depended on the Apis mellifera workers having direct contact with the drone comb in their nest, but did not depend on the queen'scontact with the comb. The comb itself, rather than the brood within it, was sufficient to provide the negative feedback, although the brood may have also contributed to the effect.