Quantitative analysis of the mandibular gland components of the dwarf honey bee (Apis florea Fabricius)

Workers and mated queens of the dwarf honey bee (Apis florea) from Sri Lank a were quantitatively analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the following nine major mandibular gland components: methyl p-hydroxybenzo ate (HOB), 8-hydroxyoctanoic acid (8-HOAA), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylethano l (HVA), (E)-9-oxodec-2-enoic acid (ODA), (E)-9-hydroxydec-2-enoic acid(9-H DA), 10-hydroxydecanoic acid (10-HDAA), (E)- 10-hydroxydec-2-enoic acid (10 -HDA), decanedioic acid (C10:0 DA) and (E)-dec-2-enedioic acid (C10:1 DA). Queens and workers were significantly different in most of the mandibular g land components analyzed. The major component in mated queens was 10-HDA an d in workers was 8-HOAA. Queens and workers contained no detectable HOB or HVA. The mandibular gland compositions of queenless and queen-right workers were similar.