Abstract:
Foraging behavior of
Apis cerana cerana worker bees affected by the Nasonov gland extract of the bees was investigated. The crude hexane extracts from the glands by abdomen dipping, dispersing excised gland and syringe extraction methods were obtained for the experiment. The extracts released the odor that directly affected the behavior of the worker bees, as the bees leaped irregularly with rapid abdomen swinging and wing-fluttering when nearby the extracts. In wind tunnel and outdoor tests, the extract obtained by using the dispersing excised gland method was found most effective in attracting the worker bees, followed by that obtained by the syringe extraction method. The placement distance of the extract from the bees also significantly affected the observation. The farther an extract was located away from the bees, the fewer bee visitors would be.