Comparative analysis of dufour's gland secretions of two carpenter bees (xylocopinae: anthophoridae) with different nesting habits

Shulamith Kronenberg*, Abraham Hefetz

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

1. 1. The chemistry and function of Dufour's gland secretions of two carpenter bees were studied. 2. 2. Dufour's gland of Proxylocopa olivieri, a ground nesting bee, produces long chain hydrocarbons that are utilized to line its brood cells and are mixed with its bee bread. 3. 3. Dufour's gland secretion of Xylocopa sulcatipes, on the other hand, is dominated by ethyl eicosanoate and ethyl docosanoate accompanied by the corresponding methyl esters and high boiling hydrocarbons. 4. 4. This wood nesting bee apparently does not use Dufour's gland secretion to line its nest. 5. 5. The relationship between the respective chemistry and function of Dufour's gland secretion and the nesting ecology of the two bees is discussed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)421-425
Number of pages5
JournalComparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part - B: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Volume79
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 1984

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