Larval Food and Development of Castes in the Honeybee1

Abstract

An ex-tensive review of the literature on the chem. composition, vitamin and hormone contents of larval food of the honey- bees is presented. According to the analyses made at the Univ. of Minnesota the dry matter of royal jelly on the whole diminishes in the food of the older queen larvae (34.63-31.68%), while the protein and fat contents in the fresh matter increase (14-18.38% and 2.63-3.99%, respectively), and the amt. of mineral matter decreases (1.19-0.75%). The protein, fat and mineral contents of the fresh food of the older worker larvae diminish (20.75-17.69%, 4.69-2.06% and 1.07-0.58%, respectively). The % of the dry matter increases (26.49-35.10%). After reviewing the literature on the question of the development of castes in the honeybee and some other insects the author presents evidence suggesting that the anatomical and physiol. differences between the worker and the queen honeybee are, to a great extent, due to the hormone or hormones which in the case of the highly nourished queen larvae are secreted by the fully developed ovaries in a sufficient quantity to cause those structural and physiol. changes which characterize the queen. In the case of the worker larvae, which have their ovaries in a rudimentary state, this does not occur.