Scientists from Canada have solved the secret of “palace coups” in bees, writes “Popular Science”, referring to a publication in the journal “Proceedings of the American Academy of Sciences”. The authors of the study from the University of British Columbia have found that the cause of riots in the bee hive is often viral infections. They lead to a decrease in the size of the ovaries of the queens and a decrease in the production of methyl oleate – a pheromone that subjugates worker bees. When its level drops, the colony senses the weakness of the queen and begins to prepare a change of power.
The plot, worthy of a medieval chronicle, develops not in the palace, but in the hive: the weakening queen loses the trust of her subjects, and they stage a coup, raising a new ruler. This process is a natural mechanism for the colony’s survival. For beekeepers, however, it often leads to a loss of productivity and a reduction in bee numbers and honey production.
A healthy queen can lay between 850 and 3,200 eggs a day, which is more than her own weight, explains lead researcher Professor Leonard Foster. However, queens infected with the virus lay fewer eggs and produce less methyl oleate. The reduction in this pheromone appears to serve as a signal to worker bees that the queen is no longer doing her job.
This process, called supersedure, happens when the tens of thousands of worker bees can sense if their queen is no longer laying enough eggs. The workers then coordinate to replace her with a new and healthier queen.
Bees pollinate around a third of all crops in the world, so the stability of bee colonies has a direct impact on food security and ecosystems. However, beekeepers are increasingly reporting premature replacement of queens, with weak queens cited as one of the main causes of hive losses in winter.
Illustrative Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/brown-and-black-bee-lot-53444/
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