Volatiles of foraging honeybees Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and their potential role as semiochemicals

Nestmate and kin recognition play a major role in maintaining the integrity of social insect colonies. In Apis mellifera it has been suggested that recognition of nestmates is mediated by contact chemoreception. However, there is evidence that volatiles emanating from honeybee workers might transmit recognition cues. These volatiles from the cuticle might also be used as kairomones by females of the European beewolf Philanthus triangulum to identify their prey. Here we analysed which compounds occurs on the cuticle of honeybee workers. Additionally, we used a foraging arena that allows the sequestration of volatiles from undisturbed foraging honeybees with a SPME-fibre, followed by GC-MS analyses. We could detect hydrocarbons with a chain length of up to 29 C and some new compounds in the headspace of foraging honeybees. We also found (Z)-11-eicosen-1-ol on the cuticle and in the headspace of honeybee workers, thus, it might be used as a kairomone by females of the European beewolf.