Developmental Cycle of the Mandibular Glands of Apis Mellifera Workers 2. Effect of Queenlessness

About 300 newly-emerged workers were marked and placed in a queenless nucleus containing 3000–5000 bees. Samples of 3 marked bees were taken at approximately 5-day intervals over a period of 43 days, and their ovaries and mandibular glands examined. Development of the ovaries was detectable from the fifth day of life, and the mandibular gland cells exhibited a greater and more prolonged increase in size than those of workers from a queenright colony. The phase of greatest gland development, between 10 and 25 days of age, coincided with that of greatest ovarian development. © 1985 International Bee Research Association.