Unusual thermal defence by a honeybee against mass attack by hornets
Article Abstract:
The Vespa mandrinia japonico hornets cooperatively predate on sympatric Japanese honeybee, Apis cerana japonica, marking honeybee nests with a pheromone to which the honeybees respond by increasing the number of defenders. A hornet attack of a defender results in an attack by 500 other bees who surround the hornet and form a ball whose high temperature is lethal for the hornet. Isoamyl acetate forms a major component of the ball. The European honeybee does not exhibit such a phenomenon, which seems to have evolved to overcome the hornet's cooperative predation on this specific honeybee species.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1995
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Components of giant hornet alarm pheromone
Article Abstract:
A volatile, multi-component alarm pheromone in the venom of the world's largest hornet, V. mandarinia is investigated. The findings indicate that the strongly defensive behaviour of V. mandarinia could be due to the presence of a powerful alarm pheromone in the venom.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 2003
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Chemical structure and biological activity of the Caenorhabditis elegans dauer-inducing pheromone
Article Abstract:
The isolation of natural daumone from Caenorhabditis elegans by large-scale purification, as well as the total chemical synthesis of daumone is reported. The stereospecific chemical structure of purified daumone, a fatty acid derivative is also described.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 2005
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
- Abstracts: Aarhus on the accelerator. Denmark: influence beyond its size
- Abstracts: Rise to the challenge. Exchange rate hits US researchers
- Abstracts: New evidence concerning avian origins from the Late Cretaceous of Patagonia. Large Cretaceous sphenodontian from Patagonia provides insight into lepidosaur evolution in Gondwana
- Abstracts: Cancer and the homeless cell. The magic brew. Out of air is not out of action
- Abstracts: On thin ice. Arctic lake promises hot data on past climate