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Study of honeybee caste differentiation by glucose level differences during development

Etude de la différenciation des castes chez l'Abeille domestique d'après les différences de taux de glucose au cours du développement

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Summary

The glucose levels in homogenates of heneybee brood (5th–16th day of life) and in the jelly of each caste (5th–9th day of life) were determined.

The glucose level of workers was, during the majority of days tested, up to twice as high as in queens, the most impressive changes in the glucose level occurred during the 5th–8th days of life, at which time there was a parallel rise in the glucose levels of worker homogenate and of the jelly which serves as their food. No such rise was observed in queen brood homogenate.

Résumé

Nous avons mesuré les taux de glucose d'homogénats de couvain d'Abeilles (du 5e au 16e jour de vie larvaire) et de la gelée royale distribuée à chaque caste (du 5e et 9e jour de vie larvaire).

La majorité des jours où les mesures furent réalisées, le taux de glucose des larves d'ouvrières s'éleva jusqu'à deux fois celui des larves de reine. Les changements les plus marqués dans les taux de glucose furent obtenus du 5e au 8e jour de vie larvaire. Durant cette période, l'augmentation des taux de glucose fut parallèle dans les homogénats de larves d'ouvrières et dans la gelée dont elles se nourrissaient. Rien de tel ne fut observé dans les homogénats de couvain de reine.

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Ishay, J., Fischl, J. & Alpern, G. Study of honeybee caste differentiation by glucose level differences during development. Ins. Soc 23, 23–28 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02283903

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02283903

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