Developmental cycle of the
mandibular glands of Apis mellifera workers 2. Effect of queenlessness
Athor(s)
Ana Maria Costa Leonardo
Abstract
About 300 newly-emerged workers were marked and placed
in a queenless nucleus containing 3000-5000 bees. Samples of 3 marked bees were
taken at approximately 5-day intervals over a period of 43 days, and their ovaries
and mandibular glands examined. Development of the ovaries was detectable from
the fifth day of life, and the mandibular gland cells exhibited a greater and
more prolonged increase in size than those of workers from a queenright colony.
The phase of greatest gland development, between 10 and 25 days of age,
coincided with that ofgreatest ovarian development.
