Nonvolatile chemicals provide a nest defence mechanism for stingless bees Tetragonula carbonaria (Apidae, Meliponini)

文献类型： 外文期刊

第一作者： Wang, Shijie

作者： Wang, Shijie;Wang, Shijie;Wittwer, Bernadette;Goodger, Jason Q. D.;Elgar, Mark A.;Heard, Tim A.

作者机构：

关键词： ant deterrence; Corymbia resin; nest defence; propolis; social insects

期刊名称：ETHOLOGY （ 影响因子：1.897； 五年影响因子：1.752 ）

ISSN： 0179-1613

年卷期： 2018 年 124 卷 9 期

页码：

收录情况： SCI

摘要： Social insects construct nests that protect their brood and food resources from both the physical environment and natural enemies. Stingless bees use plant-derived resins, mixed with wax to form propolis, in the construction of their nests, and these products can be effective sources of defense against natural enemies, including ants. However, it is not known whether this defense, in the form of deterring or repelling workers, derives from the physical properties or chemical compounds of these products. The nest entrance of Tetragonula carbonaria is constructed with propolis and Corymbia resins, and we ask whether nonvolatile chemicals present in these products act as a defense against ants. Our field experiments revealed that workers of Iridomyrmex mayri Forel were deterred from crossing a chemical barrier comprising nonvolatile, nonpolar (hexane) extracts of propolis and Corymbia tree resin. However, polar (ethanol) extracts did not have this effect. These data are the first to demonstrate that the chemical components alone of entrance propolis and resins can provide a nest-defense function against ants.

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