Hydrocarbons of the Cuticle and Hemolymph of the Adult Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Abstract

Changes in hemolymph and extractable surface hydrocarbons of adult honey bees were studied. Hydrocarbon concentrations of adult workers varied with age, increasing until 12–18 d, then decreasing. Changes in surface hydrocarbons were caused by variations in some normal long-chain alkanes, alkenes, and alkadienes, and, in hemolymph hydrocarbons, by changes in alkenes and alkadienes. Alkenes and alkadienes from hemolymph were identical to those in surface extracts; this identity suggests transport from the site of synthesis to sites of use, including the epidermis. Surface hydrocarbons were unaffected and hemolymph hydrocarbons only slightly affected by changing dietary pollen. A dietary change from sucrose and pollen to pollen or to sucrose, significantly affected surface and hemolymph hydrocarbons. Surface hydrocarbons of newly emerged drones, queens, and workers, and hemolymph hydrocarbons of newly emerged drones and workers were similar. Surface and hemolymph hydrocarbons of newly emerged workers and drones contained branched hydrocarbons consisting of monomethyl- and dimethyl-substituted alkane series.