Juvenile hormone promotes flight activity in drones (Apis mellifera carnica)

Abstract

Drones of Apis mellifera carnica received a single topical application of juvenile hormone III (5 or 10 μg in acetone-hexane) a few days after emergence. This led to flight attempts 2-3 days earlier than in untreated control drones which were kept in the same colony. It is clear that juvenile hormone in drones acts as a flight stimulus, comparable to its function in worker bees where foraging activity depends on high juvenile hormone levels in the hemolymph.