Determination of the Retinue Pheromones in Queens Reared in Spring and Summer Seasons and Stored in Kirchain Mating Boxes and Reservoir Colonies

Abstract

In this study, the retinue pheromones (9-ODA, R and S HDA, HOB, HVA, methyl oleate, conyferyl alcohol, palmityl alcohol and linolenic acid) of Caucasian and Aegean Ecotype of Anatolian queens stored in Kirchain mating boxes and Reservoir colonies were determined. After the queens beginning egg lying for 102 days was collected individually in eppendorf tubes and stored at -20°C until the analysis (group A). Second group queens (10 Aegean and 10 Caucasian) collected from Kirchain mating boxes in the same day stored 25 days in the reservoir colonies (B group). Also, the queens in the last group (10 Aegean and 10 Caucasian) were collected after beginning egg lying for 352 days (C group). After all, the queens in the group B and C put individually in eppendorf tubes and stored at -20°C until the analysis. Pheromones in the head, chest and abdomen of the stored queens were identified by gas chromatography. According to results, the differences in the values of 9 ODA and 9 HDA for were statistically insignificant for queen breeding season, application groups (A, B and C) and genotypes, but differences in body parts were determined to be statistically significant. The differences between HOB and HVA values were also statistically insignificant for queen breeding season, application groups, genotype and body parts. In the study, the effects of application group, genotype and body parts on the amount of linoleic acid were determined to be statistically significant. Linolenic acid secreted higher from the abdomen than that of the head and chest, and the differences among the body parts were also statistically significant. In general, 9 ODA and 9 HDA amounts were secreted the highest in the head of the queens, HOB and HVA were secreted equally amounts in the three parts of the body, and linolenic acid was secreted the highest from the abdomen. The queens allowed egg lying for 352 days in Kirchain mating boxes were secreted 9 ODA, 9 HDA, HOB and HVA more than the queens allowed egg lying for 102 days and stored reservoir colonies.