Pheromones and Cooperation & Conflict in Honey Bees with Dr. Christina M. Grozinger

Pheromones and Cooperation & Conflict in Honey Bees

Queen pheromones play an important role in regulating honey bee colony function and survival. We have demonstrated that queen pheromone production is strongly linked to the mating quality and reproductive state of the queen, and this can have consequences on worker-queen interactions, worker physiology, and queen longevity. Furthermore, we have found that worker responses to queen pheromone are highly variable, and are associated with differences in worker physiology and reproductive potential. Moreover, our studies have demonstrated that drones respond differently to pheromones produced by virgin and mated queens. Overall, these studies demonstrate the pheromone communication systems in honey bees is more sophisticated and nuanced than previously recognized.

SPEAKER DETAILS

Christina M. Grozinger, Ph D

• Distinguished Professor of Entomology
• Director for the Center for Pollinator Research Pennsylvania State University
• Huck Institutes of the Life Science
• Batchelor of Science, McGill University
• Masters and Ph.D., Chemical Biology, Harvard University

Dr. Grozinger’s research examines the mechanisms underlying social behavior and health in honeybees and related species. She draws on various disciplines including genomics, physiology, neurobiology, and chemical ecology to study the molecular, physiological, and ecological influences on bee health.